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THE RIGHT KNOCK 


A STORY 

BY 

(trcuw ‘rncXHO') 

lWHELEN r VAN-ANDERSON 


“ Go to your bosom ; 
Knock there ; and ask your heart, what it 
doth know.” —Shakespeare, 


FIFTH EDITION 


New Era Publishing Co.„ 

Chicago. 


1892. 







COPYRIGHT, 1889. 


. SEP ?3 !9£$ 


* * i ‘ 

* c, 

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f fit 















Preface. 


JMi LTHOUGH most excellent food is to be found on 
the table of metaphysical thought, there has 
never yet been a metaphysical story setting forth a 
picture of every-day life, in its search for, and attain- 
ment of satisfaction through the knowledge of Chris- 
tian Science. 

Knowing the pressing need of such a book among 
the many inquirers and students on this theme, and 
with the hope of helping to fill that need, this story is 
told. 

It is a book of facts, not fiction, although wearing 
the dress of fiction. Every case of healing, every 
seemingly marvelous experience has come under the 
observation of the writer and can be authenticated as 
a veritable fact. 

That there are hundreds, yea, thousands to-day, 
who leave their homes and go to distant cities for the 
sake of pursuing the study of Christian Science, or 
receiving the benefit of its healing ministry, is proof 
onough that the story of one woman’s experience will 
be interesting and helpful to all. 


PREFACE. 


While the lessons contained in Mrs. Hayden’s let- 
ters are not exhaustive, they are valuable for their very 
simplicity, and are thoroughly practical, complete in- 
structions for the beginning and continuance of the 
study of this wonderful Science. 

With every lesson supplemented by personal experi- 
ences, the reader sees not only the theory but the prac- 
tice demonstrated, and in this simple story he may 
find the mirror of his own inner hopes and aspirations, 
with a broader view of their possible attainment than 
he has yet seen. 

Carlyle says : “ If a book come from the heart, it 

will contrive to reach other hearts.” “The Right 
Knock” is presented with no other apology than this; 
it has come from the heart. 

Kellie V. Anderson, 

Chicago, May, 1889. 


PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION. 


When The Right Knock first went forth on its 
mission, the writer little dreamed of the health and 
happiness and moral purpose it would be the means of 
carrying to the spiritual, intellectual and physical 
being of its kind readers. 

It seemed such a small, simple thing, this little 
book, and the best that could be said of it was that it 
came from a heart full of eagerness to be the Master’s 
messenger, and do something towards preaching the 
glad gospel of healing and true living. 

The unnumbered letters of gratitude, the kind 
words, the warm hand -clasps, the many testimonials of 
sick beds forsaken, depressed spirits revived, vices dis- 
continued, of physical and moral strength regained, 
prove that the work of the Spirit is not to be measured 
by puny human standards of judgment, prove that 
simple things — the things from which we expect the 
least, in which we put the least ambition or worldly 
desire may be those which will yield the “ hundred 
fold ” of real blessing. 

In this edition a supplementary chapter has been 
added which, like the rest, is suggestive rather than 
exhaustive, but which, it is hoped, will prove an addi- 
tional help and inspiration, inasmuch as it contains 
hints of some later thoughts and experiences of 

The Author. 


Chicago, May, 1892. 


60NTENTS. 


Chapter. 



Page. 

I. 

Mrs. Hayden, 



9 

II. 

The Girls at Home, 

- 

- 

17 

III. 

A Fire and a Ketrospect, 



25 

IY. 

Beginnings, 

- 


30 

Y. 

The Old Doubts Again, 



36 

VI. 

Too Good to be True, - 

- 


44 

VII. 

A New Hope, 



59 

VIII. 

What the World Said, 

- 


63 

IX. 

A Struggle with Self, 



70 

X. 

Hints of Help, - 

- 


79 

XI. 

Leaving Home, 



83 

XII. 

Mrs. Pearl’s Lecture, - 

. 


90 

XIII. 

The True Foundation, 



95 

XIY. 

Questionings, 

- 


104 

XY. 

What is Not True, 



112 

XYI. 

Studying and Proving, 

- 


125 

XVII. 

What is True, 



131 

XVIII. 

It Must be So, - 

- 


141 

XIX. 

The Spiritual Birth, 



151 

XX. 

Tangles and Talks, 

. 


162 

XXI. 

Inspiration and the Bible, 



172 

XXII. 

A Church Committee, - 

. 


184 

XXIII. 

Prayer, - 



192 

XXIV. 

Every-day Practice, 

■. 


202 

XXV. 

Understanding, 



211 

XXVI. 

A New Problem, 

- 


222 

XXVII. 

Undercurrents, 

. 


228 

XXVIII. 

The Power of Thought, 



234 

XXIX. 

An Unexpected Meeting, - 

. 


243 

XXX. 

Practical Application, 

. 

. 

249 

XXXI. 

Confidences, 

. 


257 

XXXII. 

Practical Application, 

. 

. 

262 

XXXIII. 

Grace, .... 

.. 


274 

XXXIV. 

Practical Application, 

. 

. 

281 

XXXV. 

Practical Application, 

. 

. 

291 

XXXVI. 

Found at Last, - 

_ 


300 

XXXVII. 

After Three Years, 

- 

. 

308 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


CHAPTER I. 

1,5 When you have resolved to be great, abide by yourself, and do 
not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world.” — Emerson. 

£?HEKE was a brilliant light in all 
the windows at Terrace Hill. 
Even the verandahs were gor- 
geous with the gayest Chinese 
lanterns, and every bush and 
tree in the lawn did duty as chan- 
delier. Flowers, too, festooned 
every arch and embowered every 
corner, while rare vases fulfilled their 
esteemed privilege of holding and show- 
ing fragrant blossoms. 

Everybody declared the decorations 
superb, and agreed that no one but Mrs- 
Hayden could display such exquisite 
taste and such perfect judgment in 
selection and arrangement. Animated 
groups of gayly attired guests sauntei ed 
up and down the rose-bo wered walks, or 
promenaded the verandahs, while sounds of music and 
merriment from the house proclaimed the joy that 
reigned throughout. 

« Oh, how beautifully Mrs. Hayden entertains! 



10 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


remarked Kate Turner to her friend Grace Hall, as 
they stopped beside a marble fountain to survey the 
scene. “ I wonder what place such a woman would 
take in society without her wealth,” she continued. 

“ Probably wouldn’t have any place, I am sorry to 
say, because there are thousands of women just as 
capable and bright as Mrs. Hayden, yet because they 
have no social position, or rather no money to buy 
themselves one, they are unrecognized and alone,” said 
Grace, with a tinge of bitterness in her tone. 

“ I could never fancy Mrs. Hayden alone or unrecog- 
nized, although I only know her as a society lady, and 
that mostly through Mrs. Nottingham.” 

“ There is no telling what a person really is till they 
have gone through a trial of some kind, or had some- 
thing disagreeable to bear. Then one of two things 
happens : you will see either a saint or a sinner, and 
I am not sure which Mrs. Hayden would be. She 
hasn’t yet seen a flame from the fire of adversity, I’m 
sure. See how wonderfully she is blessed with this 
beautiful home, a good husband and three nice chil- 
dren.” 

“ Oh ! it must be lovely to have everything you 
want,” sighed Kate, under her breath. 

Poor Kate ! She was alone in the world, making 
the best of life with her talent for music and through 
a mutual friend had been introduced to Mrs. Hayden, 
who, after hearing her play, immediately engaged her 
for Mabel, and always invited her to the parties, more 
as a musical attraction, than out of any real regard r 
for Mrs. Hayden had an abundance of friends without 


MBS. II A YDEN. 


11 


troubling herself to cultivate in any warm fashion* 
the friendship of a poor little music teacher, thought 
Kate, somewhat bitterly. 

“ But after all, Kate, life would need more than 
luxuries to make it my ideal of happiness. I should 
want every human being to be agreeably employed; 
every woman, no matter how much or how little she 
might have, should be occupied with something that 
she could put her heart into and speak to the world 
through her work, whether it be painting pictures or 
darning stockings.” 

" Now Gracious, you are riding your hobby and you 
ought to see you can’t ride with all these fine people 
in your path. Come down at once or I’ll desert you! 
Let’s go in and hear that waltz,” and Kate laughingly 
pulled the hobby-rider into the path that led to the 
conservatory where they could listen to the music. 

“What a beautiful home Mrs. Hayden has !” said 
Mrs. Ferris to her neighbor with the severe collar and 
plain hair, as they examined the exquisite frescoing on 
the parlor ceiling. 

“ Yes, but she ought to look into poor homes once 
in a while. She don’t use her money in the right way. 
Just think of the good she might do for our church, if 
she would contribute to the charity fund, or take 
some poor families to look after.” 

The fat neck folded itself over the severe collar and 
the face settled into rigid lines of judgment. Mrs. Dyke 
was a practical woman and talked in a practical way. 
Being a wonderful church worker she naturally con- 
sidered it everybody’s duty to give when they did not 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


12 

work for the cause of religion. She belonged to the 
First Methodist Church on High St., and talked about 
■‘‘our church” as though there were no other. 

Mrs. Ferris was at a loss. She had said something 
that had not brought forth a pleasant result. She 
merely wished to be sociable, and what more convenient 
topic than these beautiful surroundings ? She was a 
meek little woman, who always wanted to say some- 
thing agreeable or soothing, and she felt quite fright- 
ened at the mistake she had made. She wished some- 
body would come to the rescue, but there was no 
immediate prospect, and she scarcely knew how to pro- 
ceed again, but ventured to ask if there were many 
poor people who needed attention now. 

“ Yes, indeed there are no less than fifteen families 
in the mission quarter nearest Mrs. Hayden who would 
•consider it a privilege to pick up the crumbs from her 
table, and I am afraid she’ll have to give an account 
some time when the reckoning day comes, for those 
who have not 6 given cups of cold water, or visited the 
sick languishing in prison.’ ” 

The air almost trembled with a suggestion of 
something. Little Mrs. Ferris looked longingly 
towards the door and just then spied her hus- 
band who was seeking .her. After she was gone, 
Mrs. Dyke looked grimly about, and not find- 
ing any one to listen, she relapsed into a medi- 
tative silence. People always wondered what made 
Mrs. Dyke so popular that she received an invitation 
to every aristocratic party, but it was according to the 
•old adage, “ Where there is a will there is a way.” 


MBS. HAYDEN. 


IS 

This was a gala night for Hampton. Such large 
social parties were always an event, and no one refused 
an invitation to Mrs. Hayden’s, for it always meant 
beautiful rooms, carpets, pictures and bric-a-brac , superb 
refreshments, and a splendid time generally. Mrs. 
Hayden was a favorite with the world because she fed 
the world with sugar plums, and after smacking its lips, 
it was always ready for more. And she usually had 
one to drop in. To-night it was a remarkably sweet 
one. This was a general affair, and every big body and 
big body’s cousins and friends were there. To be sure 
they discussed their hostess as freely as though they were 
not big bodies, but with rare exceptions the discussion 
was complimentary in the extreme. Mrs. Hayden,, 
what she said, what she did, what she wore, what she 
served as refreshments the last time, what were the 
probabilities next, her children, her husband, what they 
all did and said and how they acted, etc., were always 
interesting themes. Sometimes, to be sure, there were 
adverse remarks like Mrs. Dyke’s, but few made them. 

Yes, Mrs. Hayden was decidedly popular, and 
although no one was ever heard to tell of any par- 
ticularly grand or noble deed she had done, she was 
supposed to be doing good all the time. There w r ere 
those who, in earlier years, would have pointed her out 
as an enthusiastic philanthropist, eagerly helping what- 
ever project needed her most, but gradually she had 
dropped it all, no one knew why, and now her principal 
work was to shine in society, at least this was the gen- 
era! verdict of the adverse few who judged from the 
superficial standpoint of the world. Of her inner life 


u 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


they knew nothing as the world knows nothing of any 
one’s inner life. There may be depths or shallows in 
any character never dreamed of by the most intimate 
friend, much less by the babbling world. 

Mrs. Hayden moved about among her guests with 
a stately grace. She had always a pleasant faculty of 
adjusting the broken links of conversation, supplying a 
repartee or asking a question, introducing strange gen- 
tlemen and reviving timid debutantes with a pretty 
compliment or a gracious smile. 

“My dear, I wish .you would play something,” she 
whispered to Miss Turner as she passed her, “ I think the 
group in the drawing room need a little change and 
no wonder, for there was Mrs. Dyke in a hot dispute 
with a Unitarian over Robert Elsm ere, while her pastor 
sat near, occasionally adding something to Mrs. Dyke’s 
emphatic remarks. 

“ It’s a most blasphemous piece of presumption to 
present such a picture as that of the church. As if it 
were in its last stages of decay, indeed ! It was well 
such a weak-minded idiot as Robert Elsmere died at 
the beginning of his career. I could never forgive the 
author if she hadn’t killed him,” she was saying in an 
angry voice. 

“We can take it simply as a symbol of the decay of 
his religion, and that is comforting,” added the minister, 
complacently. 

“ I am not at all in sympathy with the holy Cath- 
erine, with her prejudice and bigotry. If it wasn’t such 
a true picture of the many Catherines we find in real 
life, I should be quite disgusted, but I do love to see 


MRS. HAYDEN. 


15 


real people in novels, then I know so much better how 
to deal with them,” said a pretty young lady who 
aspired to be called intellectual because she liked to 
study character. 

“Indeed, Catherine had a deep religious nature, 
which might be worthy of emulation in many respects, 
and she is certainly a high ideal of wifely love,” Mrs. 
Hayden interposed at this critical juncture. 

a Well, I didn’t read the book for Catherine, but 
for the sake of knowing Robert and what he did to 
make such a stir in the world. I’m opposed to novels, 
as a rule, and read as little of one as I can,” said Mrs. 
Ctyke, smoothing her lap and looking at the minister. 
Mrs. Hayden motioned to Kate to play, and presently 
the rooms were filled with harmony. 

Kate Turner was a natural musician, and to-night 
she fairly excelled herself. The little passage at arms 
just recorded had inspired her with emotions that could 
only be expressed in music, and she played some time 
to the continued delight of her listeners. She finished 
at last with a song that stirred every heart, and even 
Mrs. Dyke was visibly softened. “Yerily ‘ music hath 
charms to soothe a savage breast,’ ” murmured the 
intellectual young lady, who was sorry that discus- 
sion of Robert Elsmere had been interrupted. She 
rather enjoyed Mrs. Dyke, for she was an immensely 
interesting “ character.” 

This reception, like all others, came to an end at last. 
Everybody expressed themselves as highly delighted 
with their entertainment, and one by one reluctantly 
took their departure ; the gay lanterns on the lawn and 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


among the shrubbery went out, the lights inside the 
splendid mansion were finally extinguished, and only 
the quiet starlight illumined Terrace Hill. 

Mrs. Hayden, from her high bay window, looked 
out over the sleeping city, then at the North Star that 
beamed so brightly above her — that unerring beacon- 
light that guides so many lost mariners into port. 
Some deep thought must have moved her, some hidden 
impulse stirred her mind. She sighed. There was no 
visible reason for it. Then she turned and went down 
the stairs to the nursery. Her two babies were sleep- 
ing sweetly. Mabel was asleep in her room, and all 
was quiet. The hush seemed oppressive after so much 
gay confusion. Now she was in another element. 
Now she was the mother, then she was a fashionable 
woman. She hastened back to her room, once more 
gazed without and then thoughtfully retired. 



CHAPTER II. 


“Christianity is not a theory or a speculation, but a life ; not a phi- 
losophy of life, but a life and a living process.” — Coleridge. 



ATE TURNER walked slowly along the street 


at the foot of Terrace Hill. She looked up at 
the beautiful home where she had spent the previous 
evening, and as she saw the velvet lawn and terraced 
walks bordered with bright flowers, she half pitied 
herself because she was only a plodding music teacher. 
She was not envious, but she had such longing aspira- 
tions to be somebody in the world; she wanted so 
many things, needed so much to complete her education, 
and starved herself in so many ways for the sake of 
completing it, that sometimes she grew discontented 
with her lot. Fortunately her moods did not last long, 
however, and especially when she went home to her 
artist friend, Grace, with whom she shared rooms. 
They were both making their own way in the world, 
and were a great help to each other, as well as a great 
comfort. 

Kate was wondering what Mrs. Hayden did every 
day with her leisure. She should think she would be 
tired always going to parties and lunches and operas, 
or receiving calls. “ But then, I am thankful to know 
her,” she concluded, casting a last glance at the stately 
mansion before turning the corner. “ After all, life 
might be worse for me, and I can be a happy nobody 
if not a famous somebody,” she said to herself, as she 


17 


18 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


ran upstairs, after stopping at the baker’s for a loaf of 
bread and a pot of jam. 

“ Well, Gracious, what noble message have you 
given to the world through your work to-day ? ” she 
cried, a moment later, gaily peering into the studio 
through the 'portieres that separated their parlor from 
the work room. 

“ Is that you, Kate ? Well, I’ve been trying the whole 
afternoon to make this Hebe look like a modern Hypa- 
tia, but ” 

“In other words,” interrupted Kate, “you would 
change innocence into intellect. How, look here, 
Grace, just leave this dainty girl alone. She would 
never do to serve the gods if you gave her the aspect 
and bearing of a goddess. Let her alone, or the world 
would not recogfiize her as a representative woman,” 
laughed Kate, inspecting the picture with critical eyes. 

“Kate, stop laughing, and tell me truly if you 
think it would not do to give her a little more inde- 
pendence.” 

“ You know it*s the worst thing in the world to give 
a woman even an inkling that such a thing exists,” 
said the mischievous Kate, with a total abandonment 
to consequences as she gave the artist an impetuous 
hug. 

“ Well, let us have tea, and we’ll discuss the subject 
later,” said Grace, somewhat mollified. 

“I am afraid, Gracious, you are something in the 
same mood I was when I started home to-night, but 
I concluded to let ‘dull care’ take care of itself, and be 
merry while the sun shines, which means as long as 


THE GIRLS AT HOME. 


19 

we have enough to pay our rent, and the prospect of a 
little more next month,” continued Kate as she 
brought a tiny oil stove from the depths of a closet 
and proceeded to “ put the kettle on.” 

“ I have been so full of thoughts of the nineteenth 
century that I found it hard to go back to the Pagan 
ages, but here this picture is ordered, and I must finish 
it by next week, so I guess this one will have to go with- 
out my message,” said Grace, a little gloomily, for 
above all things she loved to put her own individuality 
into her pictures, which she generally did with rare 
success. 

“ You mustn’t have just one ideal of woman, or 
you’ll lose the art of painting the sweetest phases of 
womanhood,” replied the busy housemaid from the 
sepulchral closet. 

“ Oh! if I have such excellent models as you make 
in that checked apron and dusting cap, lean do nobly.” 

Grace laughed good humoredly as she cleaned her 
palette and set Hebe in one corner. 

“ Now, my dear, isn’t there something I can do to 
help arrange the feast \ ” as she went into the little 
back room they used for a kitchen. 

“ Yes, wash the grapes and open the jam while I 
cut the bread and pour the tea.” 

A few minutes later they were tete-d-tete at the little 
table, and as they sat down Grace said with a comical 
smile : “ Quite a difference between our banquet of last 
night and this, isn’t there ?” 

“ I should remark there is, but after all, Grace, I 
believe I am quite content. As I was passing along at 


THE BIGHT KNOCK. 


the foot of the hill this evening a momentary dissatis- 
faction came over me that I couldn’t have a few advan- 
tages like Mrs. Hayden’s, not hers of course, but simi- 
lar ones,” with a smile at the distinction, “ and then I 
wondered how she spends all her leisure, for of course 
she has the whole twenty-four hours at her disposal, 
and — well, to be brief, I would not want to live with- 
out some object in life, and so I thought it best the way 
it is now.” 

“Very wise conclusion, Kate, that’s just what I 
always say, and really who is there with whom we 
would care to exchange places? There are so many 
kinds of people and so many things for humanity to 
contend against, I don’t know that I should want to 
change burdens with anyone.” 

“ Mrs. Dyke, for instance, would you not think 
yourself fortunate to be like her?” said Kate, with a 
merry twinkle in her eyes. 

“ Oh, deliver me from that comparison ! Why, she 
carries everybody’s sins on her shoulders ; I even heard 
she had taken .Robert Elsmere to throw at the world ! ” 
laughed Grace. 

“But not his wife; she didn’t read about her. 
Wasn’t it too funny to hear her go on last night, and 
the way she looked at the minister to emphasize her 
position ? ” 

“ Yes, but how many there are like her — read just 
enough to know there are such and such characters and 
such and such incidents. Now of course she has heard 
the minister define Robert’s crime, as he would call it I 
suppose, so she thinks she can use the whole argument,” 
replied Grace, a little scornfully. 


THE GIRLS AT HOME. 


21 

“ Mrs. Hayden interposed just at the right time. I 
was glad she did, too. It seems she has considered 
Catherine’s position and could speak a good word for 
her, ” said Kate, sipping her tea, thoughtfully. 

“ W ell, if she calls her an ideal of wifely love, I 
don’t admire the reality, ” exclaimed Grace, with more 
vigor than elegance, as she put down her tea-cup. 

“ I got positively impatient, ” she continued, “ when 
I read about her cruelty to Robert, judging him in that 
inquisitor’s fashion. Poor fellow ! 1 think he died of 

a broken heart. ” 

“But, Grace, she did what she thought was her 
religious duty, and it must have been hard for her to 
withdraw herself so completely when she loved him so 
much, ” said the more charitable Kate. 

“Do you call that love which would let him go 
tramping off alone, with not even a word of sympathy, 
and so afraid that her religion would be contaminated 
she could not even hear him preach ? I don’t pretend 
to be religious, but any religion stands on a poor 
foundation if it can be swept away by anybody’s opin- 
ions. ” 

“ It wasn’t that ; it was because she thought it was 
wrong to listen to heresy, as she supposed it was, 
and ” 

“ How did she know ? Had she taken pains to find 
out? Did she study it carefully and have a reason for 
her cruel judgment ? ” interrupted the wrathful Grace. 

“Well, she was conscientious and was doing what 
she had been taught was right. ” 

“ Kate, if there is anything that makes me out of 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


patience with people it is when they hang all their 
actions on what somebody else says, and that excuse is 
simply barbarous in this case. ” 

“"Remember that in religion one must follow what 
he thinks to be right, and Catherine Elsmere repre- 
sents a large class of people; in fact, the majority of 
religious people. ” 

Kate was naturally inclined to be charitable, and 
this, added to her early training in a religious home, as 
well as her position as a church member, made her 
understand Catherine’s position from a conscientious 
standpoint much more than Grace. She could readily 
appreciate the fixed law of conscience Catherine had 
made for herself by pledging her sacred word of honor 
to her father, whom she revered as an infallible 
authority, as most people revere the legends and 
doctrines of the church. 

“ I admit that it is right to follow the dictates of 
one’s own conscience, but I believe in having an enlight- 
ened conscience, and a reason for opinions. For that 
matter, so did .Robert have a conscience, and while I 
don’t understand his religion, I respect his honesty and 
effort. There are a great many beautiful things in 
what he says, but there must be a mistake somewhere 
in a religion that can not save to the uttermost, and his 
didn’t. I haven’t found one that does,” said Grace, with 
some irony. 

“ Nevertheless, Grace, there is nothing to warrant 
your assertion in the Bible. The Christian religion is 
full of the most blessed promises of salvation in every- 
thing” said Kate, gently, but flushing a little as she 


TEE GIRLS AT HOME. 23 

spoke, for she disliked talking religion with Grace, who 
was so skeptical, although if compelled to do so, it was 
a matter of duty to stand up for her Christian princi- 
ples. 

“ Yes, I admit it gives many wonderful promises, 
but where are they realized ? It seems to me the very 
fact that the church has not proven them, made such 
people as Robert Elsmere doubt them even as possible 
of fulfillment.” 

“ Why Grace, surely you don’t disbelieve in the 
power of God to fulfill the promises? ” exclaimed Kate, 
deeply pained. 

“ I am talking from Robert Els mere’s standpoint,” 
answered Grace, evasively. 

“ My sympathy is with Catherine, for to her, relig- 
ion was a living answer to her deepest needs and feel- 
ings, and to doubt that answer was nothing less than 
sacrilege,” said Kate, with a bright red spot on either 
cheek. 

“ Well,” answered Grace, throwing down her nap- 
kin, “ I want to see a religion that will stand infinite 
investigation without falling into ruins, and Robert 
reasoned himself away from the old beliefs and dogmas 
because he investigated them. He used his God-given 
reason, and I think that is to be used as well as the 
blind, unquestioning faith of Catherine.” 

“There are times when we need faith and times 
when we need reason, but faith applies to religion and 
reason to the things of the world,” replied Kate, recall- 
ing what she had heard a few Sundays before. 

“ Well, to me the ideal of religion is a marriage, 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


a union of faith and reason — but this is idle talk. 
What does anybody know of such perfection as I 
demand anyway ? ” 

Grace impatiently pushed her chair away from the 
table, and went to look at her picture again, in a decid- 
edly gloomy mood. 



CHAPTER III. 


“ Sucl1 is the world, understand it, despise it, love it ; cheerfully 

hold on thy way through it, with thy eye on highest loadstars.” 

— Carlyle. 

TpT was a week since the party. Mrs. Hayden 
dl had been to the opera and returned late. Her 
husband was absent on a business trip, and she felt 
a vague uneasiness come over her as she entered the 
room. She knew not why, but it seemed unusually 
lonely without him. She seldom went out alone, but 
to-night she had gone out as much to while away the 
time as to hear the music. After paying her usual 
visit to the nursery, she went to bed, but slept little 
for several hours. 

About 4 o’clock she was awakened by stifling fumes 
of smoke and startling cries of fire.' Was it too late? 
She sprang up and ran to the nursery stairs, but the 
scorching flames met her, and she retreated to the win- 
dow, shrieking for help, only to get a glimpse of some- 
one through the smoke climbing toward her. 

“ Hold on ! ” cried the fireman, and reached out his 
arms for her just as she fell back fainting. Grasping 
her firmly, the brave man dragged her out. of the win- 
dow, and began his perilous descent. When about 
half way down, the ladder fell, but its burden was 
expected, and mattress and bed-clothing saved them 
from what might have been worse. As it was, the 
fireman escaped with a few bruises and slight scorching, 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


and Mrs. Hayden with a broken limb. First they 
feared she was dead, but after a few moments she 
revived and moaned feebly for husband and children. 
Little Mabel clung desperately to her mother, and sob- 
bingly told her “ only the house was burnt. Fred and 
Jamie were safe, and now she must get up and be 
glad.” Poor child, instinctively she knew the value of 
life above all other things. 

“ How did it happen, where did it start, and who saw 
it first?” were the queries on every side. Some one 
down at the foot of the hill had seen a tiny blue flame 
licking the corner of the roof. The fire alarm was 
touched, the bells set to ringing, and the observers 
leaped up the terraced stairways and arrived at the 
top just as the whole house burst into flames. The fire 
company had not arrived in time to do anything, as it 
was impossible to climb the hill with their heavy 
trucks, and their hose was not long enough to reach 
the flames, so the house was gone. Many people had 
gathered from all quarters in the fashion peculiar to 
fire crowds, but now they had seen the spectacle, and, 
as there was nothing further to see or do, they slowly 
dispersed. 

Mrs. Hayden and the children were removed to the 
hotel and a telegram sent to Mr. Hayden, informing 
him of the catastrophe. 

When he arrived, twelve hours later, he found his 
wife confined to the bed with a nervous fever and a 
broken limb. The children were safe and well cared 
for, and though his elegant home was in ruins, John 
Hayden was deeply thankful. Marion would, of 


A FIRE AND A RETROSPECT. 27 

coarse, get over the trouble, and things were much 
better than they might have been, he said. So he tried 
to look on the bright side, and after a few cheering 
words and a loving kiss he left her, to run up the hilL 
and view the ruins. 

It was early twilight, and as he beheld the smoulder- 
ing debris , and realized that the comforts and luxuries, 
possibly the necessities of life had gone up in the smoke 
that even now curled in sullen wreaths from the black- 
ened heaps, he bowed his head and wept. 

It was but a moment, but that moment was the 
bitterest of his whole life. He knew better than any- 
one else that this was probably the beginning of finan- 
cial misfortune, for a very important transaction was 
even now pending that he feared would take his all. 
As a merchant he had an honorable reputation and 
position, but this unfortunate speculation would ruin 
him. Failure seemed inevitable. But he hoped to 
save enough to pay every debt and still be able to live, 
even though in a modest way. How he would not 
even get his insurance on his house, for in his financial 
embarrassment he had failed to renew his policy, which 
had expired but few days before. He would now 
have little besides this spot, this beautiful hill. Yes, it 
was valuable, and in time could be sold for what it 
was worth, but not now, and in the meantime what 
should he do? How would Marion take it? Why 
had he not told her before he went away ? But he had 
known it himself only a few days. 

u Oh, my dear wife, would that we could commence 
life as we did when we were first married!” he 
groaned. 


TIIE RIGHT KNOCK. 


His mind went back to the past. He looked again 
into her sweet, girlish face, into her clear, earnest eyes. 
He remembered how they had both desired to live a 
religious life, how he, having been brought up in a 
religious home, undertook in vain to explain the Bible 
where it was dark and unreasonable to her. He 
remembered how fruitlessly she had tried to be con- 
verted, and that he had found even through her earn- 
est seeking that he had naught but the letter of relig- 
ion and was also as helpless as to the manner of salva- 
tion. And then they had given up trying. She sought, 
for a while, to satisfy herself by doing for others, giv- 
ing her time and energy to the poor that found her out 
and besieged her for favors, while he had been satisfied 
to let religion alone and believe with the majority con- 
cerning the doctrines and dogmas. 

As the years went on, and prosperity came to them, 
he had grown more and more indifferent, and finally, 
when they moved away from their early home and 
entered a new city, they had begun a new life, as it 
were. 

He remembered, regretfully, that she had entered 
the competitive ranks of society, at his wish at first, 
because he thought it would add to his popularity as a 
merchant and increase the number and quality of his 
customers. Too well he remembered that the elegant 
parties and party costumes were first his own instiga- 
tion, and now that these were likely to be taken away, 
he felt responsible for. her happiness, and had a secret 
misgiving, born of his early religious training perhaps, 
of retribution and judgment. He hoped indeed that 


A FIRE AND A RETROSPECT. SO 

she would be able to rise above circumstances, but he 
was utterly at a loss to know how she would take it, 
for although he knew that deep down in her heart were 
still traces of the early longings, he felt vaguely there 
was no way to satisfy them any more now than in the 
past, and probably they would only increase the diffi- 
culty of finding happiness. 

John Hayden was kind-hearted and upright in all 
his ways, strictly honest and conscientious, but apt to 
be a little one-sided in his judgments, simply because, 
as a rule, he reasoned from one standpoint, thought in 
one groove. He had never considered the questions 
from this point of view, and therefore they were 
seriously perplexing. Like many another he lived 
within his own world, and knew naught of any Other. 
In the later years of their married life he and Marion 
had grown a little apart in the closest confidences, but 
it was caused by circumstances more than anything 
else, and notwithstanding the present misery he was 
sure of her love. 

“ Poor girl, I must hasten back to her,” he mur- 
mured, as he rose from his uncomfortable position. 
“ After all, I can thank God for my family, my health, 
my honor, for no matter how much we may suffer, no 
one else shall suffer through me.” 

There was a little pang at the thought of the pri- 
vations in possible store for the family through him, 
but he had resolved to make the best of circumstances 
and be brave as possible. Once more he looked over 
the scene, but there were only dim black shadows in 
the starlight, and he went down toward the twinkling 
lights of the city below. 


CHAPTER IV. 


“Society is like a piece of frozen water ; and skating well the great 
art of social life .” — Letitia Elizabeth Landon. 

W OO bad about Hayden, isn’t it ? ” said one busi- 
ness man to another after the crash came. 

“Yes, I am sorry for him, but he is coming out hon- 
orably, and I hope he’ll commence again before long.” 

“ Well, he is made of' the* right stuff if he did make 
one mistake, and I guess he will never make the same 
blunder again. Too bad though about his house. Ho 
insurance at all, and that was a magnificent property.” 

“Indeed it was, and I hope for his wife's sake he 
can sell the lot and get another home for her.” 

“ Can’t do it now though — real estate is too low 
for any use in Hampton.” 

“Yes, that’s so. The only way is to mortgage, and 
that seems a pity in this case- — ”and they passed on 
out of hearing. 

John Hayden, standing within the doorway of the 
open store, had overheard the remarks, and while they 
pained, they cheered him. From that moment his 
resolve was taken, and as soon as everything was hon- 
orably settled he applied for credit of his old friends 
in the wholesale houses and they gladly gave it, for his 
reputation was unimpeachable. 

Then he rented a modest little store and began 
anew. 

Mrs. Hayden lay sick seven weeks, and arose a 
so 


BEGINNINGS. 


31 


weak and nervous invalid, “ doomed to carry a stiff limb 
all her life,” the physicians said. They could not dis- 
cover why her limb was stiff, but there was no help 
for it. 

How did she bear the change in her life and cir- 
cumstances ? When her husband told her, she just put 
her arms around his neck and whispered; “ All right, 
John, I shall do the best I can to help you bear it.” 
And from that moment they began life again. She 
did not even complain when they were obliged to 
move into a small cottage in the suburbs, but it was 
hard for her to be ignored and forgotten by the elegant 
social world, where she had so recently been an 
acknowledged leader. 

Alas ! she had no sugar plums for society now, so 
it soon forgot her existence. There were, however, 
some exceptions among her former friends, and she 
was glad to welcome among her few visitors, Kate 
Turner and Grace Hall, who had grown to love Mrs. 
Hayden more than they would have thought possible 
when she seemed so high above them in the social 
scale. 

“ She is turning out a saint rather than a sinner,” 
said Kate one evening, as they were discussing the 
Haydens and recalled the conversation of the night of 
the party. 

“ Just wait awhile. Many people can be heroic in 
great things, but are sadly deficient when it comes to 
the little things,” said Grace, with her usual caution. “ I 
believe I could be a heroine myself, if some grand op- 
portunity came,” she added, smiling. 


82 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


* 


“ Oh, Grace, don’t trifle so ; you know this is a very 
serious matter with Mr. and Mrs. Hayden, and they are 
both doing nobly,” cried Kate, with tears in her eyes. 

“ Well, queen Katherine, I don’t mean any harm, 
and you must not think anything of my brusque 
speeches. As you know, there is a tinge of skepticism 
in me which I can not help, and my ideals are so much 
higher than the realities of life, that I am always pain- 
fully conscious of the difference.” 

“Well, what would you wish Mrs. Hayden to be 
like, for instance, in order to come up to your ideal of 
the heroic woman ? ” asked Kate in a softened tone. 

“ Kate dear, I love Mrs. Hayden as much as you do, 
and would not for a moment disparage her virtues, but 
it strikes me as a philosophical fact that as a rule, 
human nature can and does display wonderful courage 
in great emergencies, but fails miserably in details, and 
this ought not to be so. Nothing would please me 
better than to see one life prove that I am wrong.” 

“ That is all true, Gracie, about humanity in general, 
but she is lovely, and I am sorry for her having to be 
lame all her life. It’s a perfect shame that she must 
lose even her health, for of course she will never be 
strong again.” 

“ Another defect to be noted somewhere in the uni- 
versal economy. It seems to me we are pretty help- 
less creatures, generally speaking, for it all appears to 
be a matter of chance whether we get well or not, when 
we do get sick,” mused Grace, bent upon drawing her 
own conclusions. 

Poor girl ! Life had been rather hard for her, and 


BEG INNIN GS. 


33 


she judged it as it appeared, and there did seem a great 
flaw somewhere which she was trying her best to solve 
by noting every phase of life as she found it. Natural- 
ly bright, keenly intellectual and very independent, she 
was a philosopher as well as an artist, and always ready 
for a tilt with the world on its most petted opinions. 
Hers was a reasoning mind that observed all inconsis- 
tencies and discrepancies in anything she studied, and 
there was generally a little acidity in her judgment of 
the world and its bigoted ways. 

“ I can’t see why Mrs. Hayden should not be cured 
completely,” continued Kate, ignoring her companion’s 
last shot, “ for it wasn’t, so bad that anybody knew of 
until she got up.” 

“ My dear madam,” said Grace, striking an owlish 
attitude, “ you have not read the latest opinion ex- 
pressed by one of the most learned professors in the 
Allopathic school of medicine in Paris. He stood 
before the class of graduating students and said: ‘ Gen- 
tlemen, you have done me the honor to come here to 
listen to a lecture on the science of medicine. I must 
frankly confess I know nothing about it, and, more- 
over, know of no one who does. Any one who takes 
medicine is fortunate if it helps him, but more fortu- 
nate if it does not harm him.’ Whether our friend is 
fortunate or unfortunate is a question hard to decide. 
I move we discuss another subject.” 

Kate laughed in spite of herself, and Grace got up 
to take another view of the “ Modern Hypatia,” which 
at last was growing into a visible creation under her 
skillful brush. 


Sit 


TEE BIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Isn’t that a woman for you ? ” she said, pointing 
to the picture admiringly, as she held it under the gas 
light. 

“ Yes, I like her better than Hebe. She has a look 
of reserved power about her that is captivating, but 
there is something in her face that makes me sad, some- 
thing that is lacking.” 

“What is it? Tell me, for 1 can see nothing!” 
Grace questioned impetuously. 

“ Wait a minute, perhaps I can define it. There ! 
hold it so. Let me see,” and Kate walked off a few 
paces. 

“Yes, it is dissatisfaction, an incompleteness, as 
though she had not found what she sought.” 

“ Can you see that, Kate ? Then I am at' the same 
time the most happy and unhappy creature alive,” cried 
Grace, breathlessly dropping into a chair and holding 
the picture fondly near her face. 

“ Why ? ” said the astonished Kate. 

“Don’t you know I am forever putting myself into 
my pictures ? And I’ve succeeded too admirably with this 
one. The poor thing has caught my unconscious fault 
of finding defects everywhere. Oh, I must get it out 
of her some way ; how shall I, when to me she looks so 
perfect ? ” 

“ You better get it out of yourself first, if that is the 
trouble,” replied Kate, with a great wave of pity in her 
voice. 

“ I wish I could. Oh, why do I have to see every- 
thing in the wrong way? It seems to me life would 
be heavenly, if I could know only the good in every- 


BEGINNINGS. 


35 


thing/’ Grace put down the picture and gazed at it 
with stern, accusing eyes. “ I shall leave this one and 
begin another to-morrow,” she finally announced in a 
subdued tone. 

“ I am glad you won’t rub this out, for she is too 
lovely,” said Kate, softly, as she went about, gently 
putting things in order, picking up her music and 
arranging the books. 

Grace sat there brooding over her life problems 
with a new thought in her mind. She dimly realized 
that a woman must have a genuine message herself 
before she tries to give it to the world. And alas, her 
message was sadly deficient, she found. Mechanically 
she took a book from the table and opening it at ran- 
dom, read : 

“ If the whole is ever to gladden thee, 

That whole in the smallest thing thou must see.” 

“That is not bad philosophy, whose is it?” she 
thought. She looked at the book. It was Goethe’s 
poems, but she was not in the mood for reading, and 
she sat thinking till late at night. This was a new 
sentiment. She would digest it and test its practical 
truth. 



CHAPTER V. 


Take up the threads of life at home, 

Let not the stitches drop; 

The busy world will know ’tis done 
Though ne’er it pause nor stop. 

“ Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring 
you peace but the triumph of principles.” — Emerson. 

JlV YEAK passed away, and Mrs. Hayden grew no 
jPSSl better. She was not as cheerful as she had 
been at first, and instead of growing into the brave, 
patient woman she longed to become, she had grown 
fretful and irritable, and was in many waj^s different 
from the Mrs. Hayden Kate and Grace had talked 
about so enthusiastically. None knew better than she, 
how miserably she had failed to live the life that was 
soul satisfying — the life that brought forth fruits. In 
all the years of her prosperity, in the midst of the gay- 
eties and luxuries, she had secretly longed for some- 
thing she never found, and in one sense it had not been 
hard for her to give up the life of ease and idleness, 
because she had hoped to find in the new duties a new 
peace and satisfaction, had hoped to live up to her ideal 
of a noble woman, and it was with her whole heart she 
had promised her husband her help and sympathy, but 
in all the eighteen months, she had been but a burden ; 
even calm forbearance and cheerfulness had ceased to 
be virtues. The children, not having a nursery, must 


TIDE OLD DOUBTS AGAIN. 37 

Heeds be anywhere and everywhere, and in spite of her 
efforts to the contrary, their noise annoyed her. 

To-night she sat thinking it all over, in one of her 
most despondent moods, for be it said to her credit, 
things did not always appear as gloomy as she repre- 
sented them to herself. 

The ruddy firelight flickered over her in fitful gleams 
of light and shadow. The children were out romping 
in the twilight, enjoying the first snow of the season. 
Her husband had not yet returned from the store. 

What was the use, anyway, pursued the relentless 
conscience — even the wish to be good was always 
choked by a complete forgetfulness ; and before she 
could catch her breath the words were out, so, although 
she had believed nearly all her life that one might 
grow into goodness, she was quite rebellious to-night 
with the thought of its impossibility, and she felt bit- 
ter, too, to think of the long years of uselessness 
stretching out before her. Scarcely thirty -five and 
yet she felt like a cross, crabbed old woman, and shud- 
dered to think of all the years to come, if they were to 
be like the past, and there seemed no help for it unless 
she could conquer herself. The doctor had done what 
he could to cure her dyspepsia but she was a veritable 
slave to her capricious stomach. She felt one of her 
oft-recurring sick headaches coming on and every 
thought grew blacker and more disconsolate. Oh ! she 
wished supper were over and the children safe in bed, so 
she could be free from their noise, and here they come ! 
she thought, as a great stamping and laughing was 
heard in the hall. 


88 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“Oh, mamma! such lovely snowflakes, just like a 
fairy’s quilt, and they have been falling- all over us till 
we’re like people in frost land. Just look, mamma!” 
cried Mabel, who liked a romp as well as the boys, 
although she was thirteen. Three-year-old Jamie and 
five-year-old Fred came trooping in behind. 

“Well, mamma, God has turned on the snow 
faucets,” announced Fred, with characteristic impor- 
tance. 

“An’ all ’e fevvers is tummin’ down fum ’e ’ky,” 
shouted Jamie at the top of his voice. 

“And mamma, can't we have a sled and go coasting 
this winter?” queried Mabel, not noticing in her eager- 
ness that her mamma was very sick. 

“ Oh, don't make so much noise. Take them away 
and keep quiet, Mabel. I can not endure so much con- 
fusion.” 

They went out clanging the door behind them in 
spite of their efforts to keep quiet, and as their voices 
grew fainter, she thought with another remorseful 
pang: “I have sent them away again. Why must I 
yield always to self instead of overcoming ? ” Pres- 
ently, however, all attempts at thinking were lost in 
the efforts to get the camphor, bathe her head and find 
some comforting spot whereon to rest her aching tem- 
ples. 

A subdued family gathered around the table that 
evening and everyone felt the necessity of being quiet 
as possible. Even Fred and Jamie understood that 
they must keep still, and managed to keep their voices 
down to something less than a shrill whisper. 


THE OLD DOUBTS AGAIN. 


Mrs. Hayden partook only of a small cup of tea 
and was then assisted to her room, where she expected 
to remain for at least two days — the usual time. 
Her husband spent the evening rubbing her head, bath- 
ing it with camphor and keeping the house quiet as 
possible. 

The next day dawned cloudy and grey, with a 
faint mildness in the air, indicating a thaw. Mabel 
went to school, Fred and Jamie amused themselves in 
the back parlor until they were tired and then flat- 
tened their noses against the window, trying to see 
how many drops of melted snow fell from the porch 
roof. 

“I want a snow man,” wailed Jamie, suddenly 
remembering what papa said about the snow long ago. 

“ Well, you can’t have it,” said Fred, with great 
decision, who generally opposed anything on principle. 

“ Yes, we can. We can go out and make one,” per- 
sisted Jamie. 

“ Jack Frost’ll bite your fingers.” 

“ Ho he won’t,” 

“ He will—” 

“He won’t eever — ” 

“He will, ‘cos mamma said so,” said naughty Fred. 

Jamie’s little face clouded and the lip began to 
quiver; then a sudden thought striking him, he jumped 
up, beaming with delight, and cried, as he ran towards 
the hall : 

“ Mamma said Jack Frost couldn’t find me when I 
had my overcoat and wed mittens on, and my wed 
cap.” 


40 


THE BIGHT KNOCK. 


“ You can’t reach your coat an’ you’ve lost your 
mittens,” insisted Fred, with perseverence worthy a 
better cause. 

“ O, yes I can. I can ’tep on my high chair,” drag- 
ging it after him. 

“ I can get my things on first,” said Fred who sud- 
denly decided in favor of the snow man, and hurriedly 
suiting the action to the word, rushed to get his coat 
which hung under Jamie’s, just as Jamie reached his 
little hands up to get his. Fred gave a tremendous fiirt 
and pull at his coat which overbalanced his little 
brother and down came the high chair and Jamie 
plump upon the luckless Fred, whose angry squeals and 
kicks, mingled with Jamie’s loud shrieks of terror made 
a commotion that brought Anna, the housekeeper, to 
the rescue. 

“ What is the matter?” as she plucked Jamie from 
the general debris. 

“ Fred pulled me down — ” 

“ Jamie jumped on me,” said both at once as soon 
as they could get their breath. 

“ An’, I aint lost my wed mittens, an’ my little 
white leg is broke off,” cried Jamie suddenly, spying 
the oft-mended leg of the liigh-chair, which in this 
melee , had completely severed company with the rest 
of the chair, and now mutely appealed for help to be 
put on again. 

“ There, there, papa can mend it all right again. 
Don’t cry, little man. Now Fred, you must stop crying 
and play nice with Jamie and not quarrel so much. 
There ! I hear mamma’s bell ; I must go see what she 


THE OLD DOUBTS AGAIN . 


P 

wants. Run away and be quiet, for mamma can’t 
stand a bit of noise to-day,” and Anna left them again 
to their own devices. Jamie carefully laid the little 
white leg away in his box of playthings, and then both 
children went back to the window to watch the drops 
again. 

“ I see one, two, three, seven, four, ten — ” slowly 
counted Jamie as the crystal drops fell. 

“ Oh, I see a ice berg, an’ I’m goin’ to get it for 
candy,” shouted Fred as he ran out on the porch and 
seized an icicle. It seemed so nice out there that he 
stayed and called Jamie to come, too. They were 
delighted with the new plaything and new sights, 
and any thought of being cold or needing their coats 
never entered their minds, so the icicle, the beautiful 
drops, and finally the snow claimed their attention 
until they were at last happily engaged in the much- 
desired occupation of making a snow man. 

It was near noon and the sun had finally rifted the 
grayest clouds, and was sending such warm smiles on 
the snow-laden earth that trees and fences, roofs and 
ridges burst into tears of joy. So, often does the sun- 
shiny smile melt the ice-bound prison of discontent or 
misunderstanding. 

Fred and Jamie were in the midst of their interest- 
ing creation when Mr. Hayden came home to dinner. 

“ Boys ! boys ! ” he called from the gate as soon as 
he saw them. “ You’ll catch your death of cold ; run 
into the house, quick ! Why haven’t you something on 
your heads and rubbers on your feet?” and without 
waiting to hear their vociferous reply, he hurried them 
into the house. 


THE RIGHT KNOCK . 


“ Oh, but it was such fun, papa, an’ we was goin’ to 
put two coals in his head, cos’ his eyes was black, you 
know, an’ your old mashed hat for his head, an’ — ” 

“ An’ me foun’ a ’tick for his arm,” interrupted 
Jamie, who must be sure papa knew all about this won- 
derful man. 

“ Yes, he looks very promising, and I guess I’ll have 
to finish him for you ; but you must not go out again 
to-day. Just think what would we do if you should 
be sick while mamma must be in bed. Poor mamma, 
she would feel bad and cry because she couldn’t help 
you, and it would make her feel very sorry indeed to 
know her little boys went out without somebody 
saying they might.” 

“ Well, papa, we didn’t mean to go ’thout our 
things on, but two of the beautifullest icebergs hunged 
down an’ we pla} r ed they w T as candy an’ all the pretty 
drops said stop, stop, stop, an’ — ” 

“ Yes, an’ the ’no was full of ’tars ’at shined right 
up at us an’ laughed an’ played hide an’ seek wiv each 
other.” 

“ An’ Jamie wanted to make a snow man,” sud- 
denly remembered Fred. 

“ Cos papa did when he was a little boy, an’ he 
telled me sometimes so could I — ” 

“Oh, you little rogues, it is well you can trace it 
back,” laughed papa, catching each small man, and 
placing upon his knees. 

“ Why, look here, your shoes are all wet, and your 
fingers red, and your clothes sprinkled with water. 
This will never do. Take off your shoes, Fred. Here, 


TEE OLD DOUBTS AGATE. 


4 3 

Anna,” he called, as he heard her in the dining room, 
“ bring some dry stockings and aprons. These boys 
have been out in the wet snow, and must be changed 
right away. Put a flannel round their necks, too. 
I’m afraid they’ll have the croup to-night.” With as 
much haste as possible, he stripped off their wet 
clothes, chafed their hands and feet, and with an 
anxious look left them, to go and speak to his wife 
who, when suffering from headache could allow no 
one to enter the room except her husband or Anna. 

That night the whole household were aroused by 
the hoarse and unmistakable cough of croup. Jamie 
had taken cold, as his father feared he would. The 
doctor was sent for in wild haste, and after several 
hours of watchful care and frequent taking of hive 
syrup or ipecac, Jamie was at last sleeping quietly, 
and every one felt that after this, at least, those chil- 
dren should be so well guarded that escape would be 
impossible, and the dreaded enemy kept out. This 
was always a result of exposure, and Mr. and Mrs. 
Hayden had often wdshed for the time when Jamie 
would outgrow the attacks as that really seemed the 
only thing in which lay any hope. 


CHAPTER VI. 


“ Build thee more stately mansions 
Oh my soul. 

As the swift seasons roll, 

Leave thy low vaulted past. 

Let each new temple nobler than the last 
Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast. 

Till thou at length art free: 

Leaving thine outgrown shell by life’s unresting sea.” 

— 0. W. Holmes. 

M OW do you do Mrs. Hayden ? You see I come in 
without ceremony as usual, but I heard you’d 
had one of your headaches again,” and Mrs. Keade 
seated herself cosily on the sofa near which Mrs. 
Hayden sat languidly trying to read. 

“ Oh, I have about recovered my usual strength, but 
of course I must be careful and not get excited or 
overworked, though my work I am sorry to say, does 
not amount to much.” After a few moments common- 
place conversation, Mrs. Keade said, carefully: 

“Now Mrs. Hayden, I believe there is a help for 
you somewhere. Wouldn’t you like to try something 
new?” 

“ Why, you know I would try anything that would 
give relief, but I have exhausted everything that 
ever was heard of, and now every remedy seems very 
transient or of no effect at all.” 

Mrs. Hayden leaned wearily back in her chair and 
seemed to think there was no use discussing the subject 


TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. 


45 


any longer. After a few moments thoughtful silence, 
Mrs. Reade looked up at her friend and said, timidly: 

“Mrs. Hayden, have you ever heard of Christian 
Science ?” 

“ Ho. What is it ?” 

“ I can’t tell, only that it is just the most wonderful 
panacea for all ills that ever was discovered and they 
say it can be learned, and applied by everybody.” 

“ Do } T ou mean that I could learn it and could then 
cure myself ?” 

“Yes, that is what they claim.” 

“Why, Mrs. Reade, what is all this wonderful 
news, and if it is true, why hasn’t the world heard of 
it before exclaimed Mrs. Hayden with an amused 
smile. 

Mrs. Reade did not return the smile but a still more 
earnest look came into her eyes. She bent over her., 
bit of sewing for a moment and then looking up, as 
though resolved to speak the truth at any cost, she 
went on : 

“ Mrs. Hayden, it is the fulfillment of the promises 
in the Bible, that to them that believe, these signs 
should be given. You remember the passage don’t 
you, where Jesus gave His disciples the same power to 
heal that He had ?” 

“ Well, but that was long ago, and the promise was 
for the disciples, I suppose.” 

“Ho, it was for everybody; and do you know, Mrs. 
Hayden, I can hardly wait to learn this new science, 

I am so interested.” 

“ How did you hear about it V 9 


46 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ When I was down to Mapleton last summer I heard 
something about it through a friend of mine, who was 
cured of chronic congestive headaches, and now my 
cousin, Miss Greening, from Norfolk, has come on to 
spend the holidays with us, and strange to say, she has 
been cured of weak eyes— just came straight from 
Princeton where she was treated, and — and — well, the 
fact is, I want you to come over and see her and may be 
you can be cured.” 

Mrs. Reade was quite frightened for having said so 
much, but was reassured by the growing interest in 
Mrs. Hayden’s eyes. 

“ And you know these things to be true ? Why, it 
is wonderful. How is it done, by prayer ? ” 

“ Not exactly, but it is by some process of think- 
ing. Oh, I can’t begin to tell you, only that it is won- 
derful, and you must come over and talk with cousin 
Helen.” 

“I am afraid to trust myself out in this uncertain 
weather. Can’t you both come and take tea with us 
to-morrow? I hope to be well enough then, and it 
would be a great pleasure, for if there is any truth in 
this, I want to know it. Do come.” 

This was a good deal for Mrs. Hayden to say, but 
she was very earnest when aroused to interest. 

“ Yes, we will,” said Mrs. Reade, as she rose to go, 
looking straight into her friend’s eyes with joyful ear- 
nestness, “ and I am so glad. Good bye,” and she 
retreated as unceremoniously as she had come, leaving 
Mrs. Hayden to wonder why she should be so childishly 
pleased over that invitation. It never occurred to her 


TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. 

that Mrs. Reade should be so glad to come merely to 
tell more about this new way of getting well. 

Mrs. Reade was a young housekeeper, who, living 
just across the street, was in the habit of often running 
in to Mrs. Hayden with her little vexations, her tri- 
umphs of cookery, her questions of how to manage 
little May, or what to do in matters of household fur- 
nishing. She was a very progressive little woman, and, 
perhaps owing to the influence of Mrs. Hayden, was 
ready at least to give everything a fair hearing. This 
new “ craze,” as some called it, had been presented to her 
in a way that compelled her attention and. commanded 
her respect, and especially since her cousin’s coming 
had she been intensely interested. 

Particularly was she desirous of enlisting the atten- 
tion of Mrs. Hayden, who not only needed the physical 
help to be obtained, but who would be an excellent 
advocate of the principles, providing she could endorse 
them, as Mrs. Reade was sure she would, if she could 
only be made to understand. 

So it was with great anticipated pleasure Mrs. 
Reade introduced her cousin to Mrs. Hayden as they 
went in the next day. 

“ How, Cousin Helen, just tell Mrs. Hayden how 
you were cured. Iam so anxious to set* the ball roll- 
ing,” said Mrs. Reade, with an arch look at Mrs. 
Hayden after they were comfortably settled for their 
talk. 

“ Yes, indeed, ” added Mrs. Hayden; “if you have 
half as wonderful a message as Mrs. Reade fondly 
imagines I shall be delighted to hear it, but I would 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


4S 

first like to ask what was the trouble with your eyes, 
and something as to their condition when you first 
looked into this method of healing. ” 

“ I had been obliged to leave school because they 
were so weak. They were inflamed and bloodshot. I 
could not bear to go out in the wind, ride on the cars, 
or. have any excitement whatever. The occulists said 
the trouble was caused by a physical defect that could 
not be remedied, so you may imagine my despair. 
Father and mother came home from a visit in Kansas, 
and while there they had heard of a lady in Princeton 
who was having remarkable success with mind-cure, as 
they called it. They coaxed me to go and try it. I 
had no faith, but to please them thought I would go. 
It could do no harm, they said. The journey, though 
only sixty miles from home, was very hard for me. 
When I arrived at Mrs. Harmon’s it seemed as though 
I could hardly bear the pain caused by the journey. 

“Mrs. Harmon allowed me to stay right at her 
home, and though only there a week, I was not only 
cured, but learned the principles and how to apply 
them. After the first treatment I felt so well and 
happy she told me I could use my eyes to read an 
hour or so. From the second treatment I could use 
them all I wished. It was perfectly ^wonderful. When 
I went home I was cured. That is now three weeks 
ago, and I have been using my eyes constantly, have 
taken several journeys on the cars, and gone out day 
and night. ” 

Mrs. Hayden had listened with the greatest inter- 
est, her mind filled with varying thoughts. Sudden 


TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. 




glimpses of wonderful might-be’s, mingled with doubts 
and hopes, had chased each other in wild confusion 
through her bewildered brain. 

4t Tell me, she found breath at last to ask, what 
is it, and how is it done, and can anybody do it ?” 

Miss Greening was delighted to find so willing an 
audience, for in spite of her remarkable cure, most of 
her family and friends ridiculed her new “science. ” 

« Oh, I wish I could explain to you as Mrs. Harmon 
does. I am so very new in the science, but I will do 
the best I can to give you some idea. The main thing 
in the beginning is to know that you know nothing, 
continued Miss Greening, with a smile. “ The world 
believes in the character as it appears, to be the real 
character, that the person who suffers sickness, sorrow, 
disappointment, anger or pain is the real se . e 
have always taken the people of the world, as they 
appear, to be the children of God. This science teaches 
that the real child of God is in His image and likeness 
and in Him lives, is moved and has His being. Accoid- 
ing to the laws of thought, the thought of one indi- 
vidual affects another, and on this principle the treat- 
ments are given, but it is the omnipresent life Principle 
that does the work. 

« Oh it is perfectly wonderful, and if you could see 
what I saw while I was with Mrs. Harmon, you would 
not doubt a moment. She was busy from morning till 
ni „ht with patients. Hardly had time to eat or sleep. 
lt~seemed like the times of the New Testament come 
back again. Mrs. Harmon cured a man of rheumatism, 
where the joints had been stiffened and contracted for 


50 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


years, in seven treatments. The first week the treat- 
ments did not seem to have any effect, but the second 
week he suddenly recovered the use of his arm and 
limbs, so that he could run and jump or do anything 
else that a healthy man can do. 

“One young girl, who was suffering from lead poi- 
soning so that she was given up by three or four promi- 
nent physicians, received nine treatments and, although 
not perfectly strong and robust, was able to walk 
several blocks and was so well that she did mot need 
further treatment. 

“ Mrs. Harmon treated an old lady of seventy, so 
that she laid aside glasses and could see to sew on black 
cloth. A ladv who had been an invalid for sixteen- 
years was cured so that in a week she was able to ride 
a mile and a hall' to the lectures. 

“All these things I saw with my own eyes, and if 
the evidence had not been enough in my own case, 
there were all these proofs. And the teaching! Oh, 
it is beautiful. If we could only live up to that the 
millenium would surely be here.” 

In her enthusiasm Miss Greening scarcely noticed 
the effect of her words, else she would have seen Mrs. 
Hayden’s expressive eyes full of a yearning, silent and 
strong. 

“ Can it touch anyone’s character or moral life ? ” 
she asked after a moment’s pause. 

“Yes, indeed: there is not one thing in life that is 
not amenable to its discipline. Mrs. Harmon says it is 
a great advantage in governing children, that every 
mother ought to know it, for the help in that direction, 
even if not for their health.” 


TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. 


51 


“ What a wonderful thing it must be ; and yet I 
always thought the days of miracles were past, if 
indeed they ever were,” said Mrs. Hayden, thoughtfully. 

“ These are not miracles, as the ordinary under- 
standing of that word would imply, but are done in 
accordance with Divine Law, the highest law, — not the 
setting aside of any law,” interposed Mrs. Reade, who 
had been deeply interested in the conversation, but 
hitherto had been a silent listener. 

“Oh, mamma, I wish supper was ready; I’m so 
hungry ! ” cried Fred, bursting into the room, followed 
by Jamie and Mabel. 

“ Mamma, can’t we have some — ” began Jamie, and 
then stopped, abashed at the size of the audience. 

“Ho, dears; mamma don’t want you to eat any- 
thing before supper. You know what Doctor Jackson 
said about the little stomachs that were overworked. 
How, run away and be good; when everything is ready 
mamma’ll call you.” 

“ But we want it now . Doctor Jackson don’t know 
everything. It’s only God that knows everything,” 
said Fred, with unanswerable argument. 

“ Come away, Fred,” whispered Mabel, giving him 
an impatient twitch. 

“It’s so, anyway ; mamma told me about God just 
the other night.” 

“ He knows I want some ginger ’naps,” whimpered 

Jem. 

“Hever mind; run out, as mamma says,” said Mrs. 
Hayden, resolutely, and the aggrieved trio reluctantly 
departed. 


THE BIGHT KNOCK. 


“ It would be an immense help to me if I could 
learn to manage these three irrepressibles without 
getting tired all out,” said Mrs. Hayden, with a little 
sigh. 

“Wouldn’t it be splendid? I think, Mrs. Hayden, 
you better let Cousin Helen treat you, and get you all 
cured, and then you can go somewhere and learn how, 
yourself,” said Mrs. Reade, as she demurely wound up 
the ball. 

Mrs. Hayden looked up with interested surprise. 
“ Do you think anything could be done for me, Miss 
Greening ? ” 

“A great many worse than you have been cured, 
why not you ? ” 

“ Well, I don’t know ; it seems so far away and so 
intangible some way.” 

“ How, Mrs. Hayden, try it. Let Cousin Helen treat 
you,” interposed Mrs. Reade. 

“What must I do, any mysterious unheard-of 
thing?” was the answer, with a look of evident 
amusement. 

“ Oh, no ! Just sit quietly passive, and be as hopeful 
as possible during the treatment. The only thing that 
might seem hard is to give up all medicine and material 
applications while you are under treatment.” 

“That will not be hard at all, for I have lost all 
faith in medicine anyway. When do you want to 
begin, Miss Greening ? ” 

“ Well, I am willing to try my best to help you, Mrs. 
Hayden, but you must understand, in the first place, 
that I take no credit to myself, for it is God’s work. 


TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. 53 

Then I have really not tried to heal any one ; since it 
was so recently I was cured myself, there has been no 
opportunity, but as I said, I will do what I can.” 

Miss Greening spoke earnestly and reverently. It 
seemed rather new to her to be called upon to prove her 
principles, and yet she had such perfect faith in them, 
she never thought of wavering. 

“Then it’s all settled, and you can take your first 
treatment tonight,” spoke up Mrs. Eeade, volubly. 
“I’m so anxious to see you strong and well like the 
rest of us,” she added half apologetically. 

“It will seem too good to be true. I can not realize 
such a possibility.” 

A thoughtful silence fell upon the little company 
for a few moments, and when they resumed their con- 
versation, it was about something else. 

At their usual tea time, Mr. Hayden, accompanied 
by Mr. Reade, came in, and all were presently called 
to the dining room. 

Mr. and Mrs. Hayden had dropped all pretention 
of style in their present circumstances, and lived like 
their neighbors, in a modest but comfortable way. 
The children came trooping in when they heard the 
supper bell, and delightedly filed out to the dining room 
with their elders. 

“Well, I hope you ladies have been enjoying your- 
selves this afternoon. I notice ladies have that faculty 
whenever they meet for an hour or so,” said Mr. 
Hayden, with a genial smile, as he passed the plates. 

“ Oh, we have indeed had a lovely time, and a profit- 
able one, too, I hope,” said Mrs. Eeade, impulsively. 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


64 


“ Yon have about converted Mrs. Hayden to your 
ideas, you and Helen together, I presume,” remarked 
Mr. Reade, as he spread his napkin out to its fullest 
capacity. 

“I should certainly like to be converted, if so many 
wonderful things are possible as I have heard about 
this afternoon,” and Mrs. Hayden showed by the 
unusual energy in her manner and the brightness of her 
eyes that something had inspired her to an unwonted 
degree. 

“ Well now, tell me what all this is about. You 
seem to have conspired to talk in riddles,” exclaimed 
Mr. Hayden, with an injured air. 

“ Why, it is this new ‘craze’ they call Christian 
Science that seems to have taken hold of our worthy 
partners, Mr. Hayden,” explained Mr. Reade, with a 
half-believing, half-skeptical air. 

He really believed much more than he cared to 
acknowledge, but until he was better informed of Mr. 
Hayden’s opinions, he thought “discretion the better 
part of valor.” Someway we often stumble upon such 
characters in life. Good-natured souls thev are, and 
eo anxious to please everybody. 

“ I am not sure but there is a good deal in that, 
Reade. I heard some gentleman talking about what 
was being done in Chicago, and it is trulv wonderful. 
After all, we know that the mind has a great influence 
over the body, and why shouldn’t we discover new 
abilities and powers in that as we develop in other 
directions?” 

“ To be sure ; just what I have always said, and 


TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. 


55 


now I am having an opportunity to prove it since my 
wife is willing to listen,” replied Mr. Reade, with 
graceful diplomacy. 

“Oh, there is something far beyond what you 
gentlemen see — something so -spiritual and beautiful, 
that mere intellect can not recognize it. But you will 
come to that after awhile, if you only seek to know 
for Truth’s sake, though the recognition of what you 
see often comes first,” interposed Miss Greening, with 
a warm flush of enthusiasm on her face. 

“Certainly. I believe our capacity to recognize 
higher phases of thought grows with our eagerness to 
receive. That is true of any branch of study,” said 
Mrs. Hayden, with conviction. She was well pleased 
that her husband was so favorably inclined to hear, 
and expressed himself so cordially. While she was 
quite independent in her own way of thinking, it was 
still a keen pleasure to have her husband on the same 
side. He, on the other hand, had great confidence in 
her judgment, and generally allowed himself to be con- 
vinced, even if he had an opinion in the beginning. 
They had been especially near to each other the last 

Miss Greening was mentally congratulating herself 
on having found such a ready audience, and felt as 
though she could do anything in the way of healing, 
as she talked on and on, telling them the many things 
that had happened in Princeton. She finished by say- 
ing, enthusiastically : 

“When I had such wonderful proofs right before 
my eyes, do you wonder that I looked with awe and 


56 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


astonishment and wanted to know the secret of this 
power? Can you wonder that I felt anxious to go 
forth into all the world and preach the gospel ? Oh, 
how delightful, I thought, to carry such blessed news 
and be able to give such blessed proof ! So when 
Cousin Ruth’s letter came, asking me to make her a 
visit, I felt that perhaps an opportunity would offer 
in which I might demonstrate the truth of my precious 
science, and here it is ready for me, the very work I 
wanted. Yes, just as far as possible will I use my 
knowledge, though as yet it is but little, to help Mrs. 
Hayden.” 

Miss Greening had waxed eloquent in her uncon- 
scious enthusiasm, and seeing the whole company gaz- 
ing at her in astonished admiration, she paused sud- 
denly, with a vivid flush on her face, saying: “ Pardon 
me. I did not mean to monopolize the conversation.” 

“ That apology is entirely unnecessary, for we have 
been listening to something so new that its very new- 
ness and. unconventionality is quite refreshing, and 
certainly interesting,” said Mr. Hayden, warmly. 

“ Surely, there must be some healing virtue even in 
your talk, for I feel remarkably well to-day,” was his 
wife’s delighted addition. 

“ How .glad, oh, how glad I am,” fluttered Mrs. 
Reade. 

A movement from Jem caused Mrs. Hayden to 
notice his extra dish of sauce and huge piece of frosted 
cake. 

“No, Jem, dear, you mustn’t eat any more to-night, 
and you know mamma don’t want you to have any 
cake.” 


TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. 


57 


O-o o-h, peaze, tan’t I have some more?” 

_.J; more , t0 - da >'- You know you had to be 

ck all night, not long ago, and mamma had to give 
you some medicine. You don’t want to have to take 
paregoric, do you ? ” 

“ No-o-o, but I want e take ! ” 

“Mamma said you couldn’t have any. You’re too 
little, anyway Didn’t I tell you I ought to have the 
biggest piece ’cause my stomach’s the biggest, an’ I’m 
not afraid of stomachache. Give me your sauce, if you 
can t eat it,” said shameless Fred. 

Papa and mamma Hayden looked upon their oldest 
son in dismay, as he thus openly delivered his 
sentiments. 

Hush, Freddie, you mustn’t want any more, 
either, nor talk that way to Jem. l r ou have had 
enough for to-night.” 

“ Well, I’ve had six biscuits any way,” and Fred 
settled himself back with a satisfied air as though he 
could stand anything if necessary, while poor Jem 
was taken away from the table crying as if his heart 
would break at the loss of his coveted sweets. 

“ You see, we seldom have companv, and the chil- 
dren are unused to sweet things as a rule, because the 
doctor always says their diet must be carefully attended 
to, in order to avoid inflammation of the bowels, which 
Jem once had,” explained Mrs. Hayden with the old 
look of weariness for a moment settling back on her face. 

“ Just wait till you have studied Christian Science 
and then see how to manage,” said Mrs. Eeade with 
sparkling eyes. 


58 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 




“ Have you taken such a fancy to this too Mrs. 
Reade?” asked Mr. Hayden, rather teasingly. 

“ Oh, she’s almost a crank now” answered her hus- 
band, with a merry twinkle. 

“Well, it is very good to have such an article in the 
family. It keeps things lively and announces the 
world’s progress with unerring certainty,” she retorted, 
and with this good-natured sally they rose from the 
table. The evening was spent in a mixture of small 
talk and earnestness, and before they departed Mrs. 
Hayden received her first treatment. 




CHAPTER VII. 

“Like an ^Eolian harp, that wakes 
No certain air, but overtakes 
Far thought with music that it makes,— 

“ Such seemed the whisper at my side ; 

What is’t thou knowest, sweet voice? ’ I cried ; 

‘ A bidden hope/ the voice replied.” 
f i — Tennyson. 

^l^HE second morning after this Mrs. Hayden 
A awoke, feeling much better than she had for 
months. A strange, happy feeling possessed her. All 
that had seemed dark and hopeless now appeared as 
nothing but gossamer fog-wreaths. The world seemed 
joyous and beautiful. God seemed so near, so lov- 
ing, so all-protecting. Why had she ever doubted the 
possibility of health ? Surely it was easy to feel well 
when she felt happy ; and yet, would this last ? Had this 
delightful change any connection with Miss Green- 
ing’s treatment? No, surely not. It would be too 
unreasonable to expect any benefit so soon, besides, 
she was probably no better physically, that is, her 
lameness and dyspepsia were not touched as yet, if 
indeed they ever could be. Well, how it would 
astonish everybody if she really were cured, and could 
walk like her old self again. Her stiffened limb 
would have to undergo a marvelous change, but time 
would tell — it seemed nothing was beyond reach of 
this extraordinary Power. Miss Greening was so sin- 
cere and earnest, she could not for a moment doubt the 


60 THE RIGHT KNOCK. 

truth of her statements, besides Mr. Hayden himself 
confessed to having heard of the wonderful works, 
though he had never mentioned it before, strangely 
enough. At the time it probably appeared so vague 
and visionary, that he had thought best not to excite 
her curiosity and hope without cause. 

How glad she was that he had at last allowed her 
to try this without ridiculing or scolding her. How 
beautiful this theory was, but it seemed too good to be 
true. She would not be carried away with it until she 
had demonstrated beyond doubt, until she could see 
the reason and understand it. 

The clock struck nine. Why, it was time to rise, 
and she really felt hungry, so hungry that dry toast 
and hot water had no attractions for her. She won- 
dered if there would be anything on the table she 
dared not eat; it would be hard to resist if there 
were. Thus musing she dressed with more alacrity 
and energy than she had displayed for many months. 

Her husband stood in the doorway as she left her 
room, and remarked as they went down stairs: 

“ You must have had a good sleep last night, you 
are so bright and spry this morning. ” 

“ Yes, indeed, I can scarcely remember when the 
night has passed so quickly and the morning seemed 
so exhilarating ; please help me down this turn, won’t 
you? It is always so hard to get down stairs.” 

The cane was brought into requisition, and w T ith 
Mr. Hayden’s help, the stairs were descended, but the 
refractory limb was forgotten again in the interest with 
which she viewed the breakfast table. 


A NEW HOPE. 


61 


“ Mamma, we’ve waited and waited till we thought 
we’d have to eat something, so we each took a dough- 
nut to save time,” was the explanatory greeting of Fred, 
who acted as spokesman for the three hungry culprits, 
who had this time at least, disobeyed the imperative 
injunction not to eat cake the first thing in the morn- 
ing. 

“ Wh 7> children, don’t you remember how Dr. Jack- 
son — ” 


44 Well, mamma, I heard that lady ’at was here, say 
’t would n’t hurt us to eat if you wasn’t so ’fraid ’bout 
our stomachs; an’ she's a doctor, too, an’ ladies know 
’s much ’s men, ’cos you said so,” interrupted the irre- 
pressible, as usual, with unanswerable argument. 

Well, we 11 see this time, but you must be more 
careful to remember what mamma wishes you to do,” 
said Mrs. Hayden more mildly than usual~ while her 
eyes smiled a little. 

The breakfast was brought in, and, much to the 
astonishment of all, she recklessly disregarded the dry 
toast and hot water, mutely appealing to her from the 
side of her plate, and ate heartily of beefsteak, pota 
toes and pan cakes. “ I am so hungry, and will risk if 
on the strength of Fred’s reminder,” she apologized, 
as she sent her plate the third time for cakes. 

“ Don’t tell me you’ve no faith in Fred’s newlv 
acquired wisdom,” laughed Mr. Hayden, and then 
added, with some concern, “ but, really, my dear, you 
ought to be careful. Eemember the condition of your 
stomach.” 

“That is just what she told me to forget.” 


THE BIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Well, it beats all how things can be turned upside 
down,” mused Mr. Hayden, as he rose from the table 
preparatory to going to the store. 

“ It certainly is strange about this, for you remem- 
ber yesterday, I even walked over to Mrs. Reade’s and 
back without any unusual fatigue.” 

“Oh, yes! I’ve noticed various daring breaches of 
the old code, and, more than all, I’ve seen the best color 
in your face that has been there for many a month,” 
and he went out with a thoughtful expression on his 
face. 

“Mamma's well now,” said little Jem, timidly, “’cos 
she puts me to bed.” 

“Yes, an’ we can make a noise when we dress, an’ 
talk ’bout Christmas,” added Fred, as he was walking 
about, wiping his hands, in his usual restless manner. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

“ There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio 
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”- Shakespeare. 

feF course Kate and Gface were told about the 
new way of being healed, and Grace looked on at 
trst with her usual incredulity, but when she saw Mrs. 
Hayden getting so well and looking so happy, she be- 
gan to wonder and then to exclaim. Then she wanted 
to learn something about this new “ doctrine,” and 
Mrs. Hayden had Miss Greening come over and meet 
the girls one evening so they could hear her explain a 
little about it. Grace was delighted, saying that was 
more reasonable than anything she had ever heard. 

I really should like to learn it,” she said for the 
third time as they walked home. 

“Why, you are really enthusiastic about it,” said 
Kate, giving the artistic arm a gentle squeeze. 

I must confess, Kate, that it is nearer my idea of 
religion than anything I ever heard, and it is marvelous 
to see Mrs. Hayden. Did you see how bright she 
looked to-night? More like her old self than since 
her sickness. I can’t understand it.” 

“ She said her limb was actually growing natural 
again so she could bend it,” added Kate. 

If she could ^ be cured, it would be a wonderful 
demonstration or proof of the theory,” remarked 
Grace. 

“ Oh, I don’t know Grace, I am afraid, after all, 


TEE RIGHT KNOCK. 


64 

it might be wrong. You know it says in the Bible we 
are to beware of false doctrines, and the miracles of 
anti-Christ, and this may be that very thing,” said 
Kate, with a sudden smiting of conscience and re- 
proaching herself that she had not thought of this be- 
fore. She had been brought up a strict Methodist, 
but had grown rather careless of religious matters, till 
all at once she realized the mighty import of her back- 
sliding. 

“I don’t think if there is such a thing, it could do 
so much good, and good power must come from the God 
of goodness,” answered Grace, with unusual gentleness. 
They walked on in silence, each pondering her own 
thoughts. 

Three weeks after, Mrs. Hayden was known as a 
restored invalid, was daily answering a thousand 
questions as to how it was done. Was it really so? 
Could she walk as well as ever ? Didn’t she get tired ? 
Had she any faith after all t etc. 

She patiently told them the truth of the matter, 
that her limb had become well and pliable as ever, that . 
her stomach was perfectly sound, her head free from 
nervous aching, her nights a joyous rest and her days 
a round of delightful labor. 

For the first time she learned there had been many 
cures, and several classes taught in Hampton, but no 
case had excited the attention, public and private, that 
hers had. 

The various members of society wagged their 
wise heads, and cast mingled glances of pity, wonder, 
ridicule or disdain upon the poor deluded victim of the 


WHAT THE WORLD SAID. 


65 


“latest humbug.” Even the select circles heard of it 
as a report finally reached the. daily paper, which 
appeared with a glaring head and ridiculous com- 
ments. 

One of the weeklies contented itself byreprinting 
a scathing denunciation from a prominent religious 
paper. Another contained clippings from an Iowa 
paper giving an account of the arrest and trial of a so- 
called Christian Scientist for illegal practice. But it 
failed to add that “the judge instructed the jury 
to return a verdict for the defendant,” remarking 
that “under the constitution and laws of Iowa it is no 
crime for a person to pray for his afflicted neighbor.” 

Among the worthy M. D.’s, a miniature storm 
arose and spent itself in the characteristic fashion of 
storms, now carrying everything before it, in its 
impetuous fury, now quietly subsiding into a ripple of 
condescending concession, or languid comment, now 
breaking out with renewed force into explosive epithets 
or vindictive rage. 

Dr. Crouse expressed his astonishment that any- 
body should .have the audacity to practice medicine 
without a diploma, as this woman evidently did, and 
demanded that the authorities enforce the law at once 
with the utmost rigor — .“ Such quacks ought to be dealt 
with without mercy, as an example to other upstarts !” 
and with an angry growl the doctor recklessly spat the 
whole width of the sidewalk. 

Dr. Jones admitted that the mind had a great deal 
to do with the body, and possibly this mind cure might 
help nervous prostration or hysterical women, but if 


66 


THE RIGHT KNOCK . 


Mrs. Hayden’s limb was healed, depend upon it, the 
medicine taken all those months was the cause. 

Dr. Bundy considered the matter too absurd to even 
mention. 

Dr. Hone went up and down the streets, loudly 
denouncing such “humbugs,” while his partner, Lap- 
land, laughed at the preposterous idea of learning all 
about materia medica in three weeks ! “ It is simply 

ridiculous, sheer nonsense! Ha, ha, ha!” and the 
office fairly shook at the outburst of merriment. 

On the other hand, Dr. Wilson was deeply inter- 
ested, and went so far as to call on Miss Greening, 
and to her he frankly admitted there was an unaccount- 
able power in the mind some way, and if it did the 
work for suffering humanity he was quite ready to 
welcome it, and anxious, for his part, to investigate 
the matter. 

Kind, liberal Dr. Jackson, Mrs. Hayden’s former 
family physician, shook his head wonderingly, but said 
nothing. He was a careful thinker and needed time 
for his conclusions, but as every one well knew, he had 
the friendliest, most charitable heart that ever was, 
and very candid, withal, in his judgments, and fair in 
his investigations. So in time they would know what 
he thought. It was whispered about that he had 
already invested in some books, and was quietly study- 
ing Christian Science in his leisure moments. 

Among the churches no less of a tumult raged. 
Rev. Rush preached a stirring sermon about the evil 
days in which even the very elect should be deceived 
by the miracles of anti-Christ, and warned his hearers 
against being beguiled. 


WHAT THE WORLD SAID. 


67 


Rev. Long openly denounced Christian Science as 
but another form of spiritualism, and admonished his 
flock to beware of ravening wolves. 

Rev. Morton mildly preached about being steadfast 
to the old faith, avoiding investigation in anything new, 
while from the gentle, spiritually minded Prof. Mill 
was heard an eloquent disquisition on the promises and 
the all-abiding power of God. 

All shades and phases of ministerial sentiments 
were expressed, and whatever was grand and Christ- 
like sprang up as dainty, fragrant blossoms amid the 
wayside weeds of falsity and Pharisaical bigotry. 

The ladies’ sewing societies discussed the subject to 
its fullest extent with widely varying opinions, some 
exclaiming with wonder and awe that it certainly must 
be a higher power that would perform such miracles ; 
others that it was nothing but mesmerism. A few rev- 
erently expressed their conviction that Mrs. Hayden 
was extremely fortunate to be chosen for such a favor, 
while still others of quite a contrary mind declared 
it was nothing more nor Jess than the devil, who was 
stealthily taking possession of the weak. 

One timid little woman ventured to say that it 
could not be Satan, for he was never known to do any- 
thing good. Another said there must be something 
uncanny about it, for she had experienced the most 
peculiar sensations when shaking hands with Mrs. 
Hayden. 

Mrs. Dyke had waited for a more practical time to 
give her opinion, and now she concluded the whole 
matter for herself, at least, by saying in a most practi- 
cal way: 


68 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


“ It is the devil’s work from first to last, and I am 
not surprised that that woman, Mrs. Hayden, has got 
into his clutches, for she never did her duty to the 
church, and such people can’t expect he will always let 
them go their own way. Christian Science has no right 
to its name or its pretentions. It is only the magician’s 
rod, and I, for one, don’t propose to look at it,” with 
which profound announcement she went to the other 
room to oversee her charge of sewing girls. 

“Oh, how righteous we are!” giggled one very 
young lady, with a mock look of reverence. 

“Well, now, see here ladies!” declared Mrs. Grant, 
another “ practical ” woman, but of a different type from 
Mrs. Dyke, “ we may as well look at this matter in a 
sensible and candid light. Here are the facts: Mrs. 
Hayden is a lovely and reliable woman. She has, as 
we all know, suffered everything from her headaches 
and dyspepsia, besides the limb that was broken at the 
fire. We see her well, and ought to believe what she 
says. They often say , 4 Truth is stranger than fiction.' 
An example has come to our door, and why should we 
refuse to believe, when the proof is so plain ? For my 
part, I can believe though I do not understand, and I 
want to know what there is in Christian Science.” 

Mrs. Grant had spoken, and as she usually did, 
turned the tide of thought in her direction. 

“ Why, yes, we all want to know if there is anything 
in it, but there is an if — ” 

“Iff There it is again! I’ve no patience with 
people who always tumble over an if. You can bar 
the very gates of heaven with that nipping little word. 


WHAT THE WORLD SAID. 


69 


It means doubt, and doubt is the destroyer of faith 
which we must have in this world, if we live at all.” 

Mrs. Grant unwittingly preached a little sermon, 
which not only served to quell the confusion, but gave 
them a helpful thought to carry home. Scattering 
good seed seemed to be her mission, and many a good 
word dropped into fruitful soil, and took its time to 
bring forth. 





CHAPTER IX. 


** Soul, receive into thyself the warm and radiant life of heaven, to 
breathe it out again as spiritual fragrance over other lives, and 
so change this wilderness-world into the garden of the Lord ! 
This is the lovely moral which hides within the roses of June, 
and makes more than half their sweetness .” — Lucy Larcom. 

ND Mrs. Hayden ? The old expressions of joy 
jP^ 3L seemed utterly inadequate to describe her feel- 
ings. It seemed that she was veritably dreaming of 
heaven, such a sense of largeness, of freedom, had 
come over her, so much wider was her horizon, so much 
more clearly could she see and understand the hard 
questions that had always puzzled her, and yet she 
had, as it were, just come to the edge of the beautiful 
flower-dotted, dew-besprinkled field that seemed spread- 
ing out before her. So long hopeless, so long hungry 
as she had been after this taste, she only hungered the 
more. Wonderingly she looked at herself walking 
about without pain; with an elastic step and the spring- 
ing freshness of health ; wonderingly she remembered 
the dull, nervous throbbing headaches, contrasted with 
the refreshing clearness, the joyous comfort and peace 
of mind which made thinking a tonic, and labor a 
luxury. 

What a glorious strength of exhiliration seemed 
flowing in to her with every breath ; how it expanded 
and thrilled her with its power ! If this was life, what 
joy to live, to know and feel the gladness and beauty 

70 


A STRUGGLE WITH SELF. 


71 


of God’s beautiful world, and it must not be for her 
alone, but for all hungering, thirsting mankind. She 
must impart it to those who had been suffering and 
helpless like herself. It was even now flowing into 
her own family. Although Miss Greening had given 
her but the first and fundamental principles of the 
science, she had in many instances already demonstrated 
their worth and power. It soon grew to be a regular 
matter of course to treat every one in the family who 
seemed in need of a remedy for anything. 

Mr. Hayden had frequently come home with neu- 
ralgia in his face, but after one or two attacks the un- 
welcome intruder vanished. The family medicine case, 
which had recently been replenished for the winter, 
was left to its own devices, and dust gathered on the 
necks and shoulders of the cough remedies, paregoric 
and hive syrup bottles, until they would have looked 
quite pitiful in their desertion, if anybody had seen 
them. Jamie’s one attack of croup yielded more readily 
to his mother’s silent treatments than it ever had to 
hive syrup, and it was with a deep thankfulness, not un- 
mixed with awe, that Mr. and Mrs. Hayden felt their 
little one at last free from his old, dreaded enemy. 
Never before had the children been so free from colds 
or ailments common to childhood, as this winter. Never 
before had there been such a seemingly reckless care- 
lessness in wrapping them up, keeping them out of the 
draughts, or letting them eat just what was on the 
table. 

“ Why, it is like living in another world altogether,” 
said Mr. Hayden, enthusiastically to one of the neigh- 


THE RIGHT It HOCK. 


bors. “ The children are so much happier, quieter, more 
peaceable. I tell you, it is like getting free from prison 
to come into this way of living, and my wife is getting 
stronger all the time. Of course you want it,” he con- 
tinued. “Come over some time, and we’ll tell you 
more about it.” Saying good night he walked away, 
leaving his friend to wonder if the entire family had 
not turned lunatics. 

Enwrapped in the seamless robe of Truth, the sharp 
winds of worldly criticism seldom reach us, because we 
are no longer susceptible to their sharpness. A gentle 
mildness beams from every face, for beyond the veil 
of outward appearances we learn to discern the pure, 
perfect holiness of -God’s child — the divinity behind 
the bars. Not, however, till we know how to put on 
this wondrous robe are we invulnerable. 

Although Mrs. Hayden had learned much and lived 
much in these last few months, there came a time, as 
the summer drew near, when it seemed that everything 
was slipping away from her. Not her health, except 
that her old headache occasionally threatened her, but 
things did not seem as clear to her. Many problems 
were only in a partial state of solution, and a vague dis- 
satisfaction, a helpless discouragement took possession 
of her at times, very hard to bear, especially when con- 
trasted with the light she felt had so long guided her. 
Of late even her treatments seemed almost fruitless. 
Her old-time impatience had manifested itself on 
several occasions, and one warm June morning she 
went about her work in a decidedly old-fashioned 
mood. 


A STRUGGLE WITH SELF. 


73 


It was Monday, and in addition to the washing to 
be seen to, the little extra help to be rendered the girl, 
her husband had sent her a large case of strawberries 
to be put up, manlike, forgetting that this day at least 
was full. She was hastening to get them ready before 
the dinner hour, and the “ picking up” of the sitting- 
room, so essential Monday mornings, had been left till 
a more convenient season. 

Mabel had gone to school, while Jamie and Fred 
were playing in the sand in the back yard. 

With her hands in the berries, and her thoughts 
busily engaged, she was suddenly roused from her 
reverie by the noisy 'entrance of Fred, who just came 
in for a drink of water. As he turned to go out, he 
threw his arms around his mother’s neck and gave her 
a boy’s impetuous hug, and a kiss that ought to have 
rejoiced any mother’s heart, but this morning it annoyed 
her. “Fun away, now; mamma hasn’t time this 
morning,” and she pushed him impatiently away. Just 
then the door bell rang, and Fred sprang to answer it. 
In another moment he ushered into her presence a 
shabbily dressed, poor, miserable looking woman, who 
immediately asked for a drink of water. “ I can get 
it,” said the ready Fred. While he was gone, the 
woman began her request: 

“Plaze, Ma’am, would you be wantin’ some garters 
to-day? They are warranted by the very man as made 
’em. My boy is layin’ sick, and his father is dead, and 
all my health has been took away carin’ for him, and 
a friend of mine, she has been in this business a long 
time, and says it’s very good some days, and she let me 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


n 

take her place to-day, so if you could take a pair or 
two to-day it would be very thankful I’d be, and I’m 
sure this boy would need a pair ; they are only 25 
cents, and will just fit ; ain’t they nice, my boy ?” She 
poured her story out, as though there were no end to 
it, as she held up some brilliant red and blue elastics 
that quite dazzled Fred, who claimed them at once. 

“ I have not time to examine and choose this morn- 
ing, and Fred, you do not need them now,” said Mrs. 
Hayden, with some annoyance in her tone. 

“ How, mamma, you didn’t see my old ones, they 
ain’t red and blue, nor stretchy, an’ my stockin’s come 
down all the time. See how wrinkly they are,” and 
he held up a dusty little shoe with a sadly demoralized 
stocking above it, rich in holes as well as wrinkles. 
The stocking had been torn on a nail, he volubly 
explained. In his excitement Fred raised his voice, 
thus summoning Jamie to the scene with a rush that 
upset the dish of berries just picked over. 

“1 didn’t mean to, and I can pick them up again,” 
and he swept his dirty little hands into the soft mushy 
pile, gathering berries, dust, stems or whatever hap 
pened to be in the way, dashing the miscellaneous mess 
into the clean berries that had escaped. 

“ Jamie, you careless child ! how can you be so 
naughty ? Go and wash your hands this minute ! 
Fred, leave those things and stay out with Jamie, I 
can not have you around when there is so much to do ! ” 
and with an impatient gesture she brushed Jamie aside 
and began sorting the berries as best she could. 

Fred started toward her with the elastics, saying : 


A STRUGGLE WITH SELF. 


75 


“ But, mamma, you haven’t looked yet 

“ Well, you see my hands are full, and I can tell 
you just as well without looking.” 

“ You always tell me to do as I am told,” pouted 
Fred as he reluctantly departed. 

Mrs. Hayden was ashamed and yet reckless with 
discouragement, and scarcely noticed the anxious ped- 
lar, who stood waiting for some decisive word from 
her. 

“ I have no use for the supporters at present,” she 
said at last. But as she noticed the look of despair 
slowly settling on the woman’s face, she added, “ but, 
if you are in such distress, I will let you leave two 
pairs. Take the 50 cents lying there on the shelf,” 
pointing to the place. The woman was very grateful 
and soon went away with a brighter face. 

For a long time after she was gone, her picture 
remained in Mrs. Hayden’s remorseful memory, though 
she put it away as much as possible and went on with 
her work. Jamie and Fred had quarreled several 
times, but even in peace, the fires of war were likely to 
burst out afresh, for it was always so when she felt this 
way. 

As Mrs. Hayden sat in her own room that evenings 
reviewing the events of the day, which seemed the 
culmination of many days, it seemed that the Marion 
Hayden who had been so happy these last few months, 
improving in health and strength and ability to live a 
more useful life, and the Marion Hayden who had so 
miserably disgraced herself to-day, were far apart — in 
fact irretrievably separated. Where, indeed, had gone 


76 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


her power of self-control, her wisdom and tact in gov- 
erning the children ? Why had she so harshly told Fred 
to run away from her when the dear child was only 
showing his affection according to his own nature? 
Such an active, impulsive yet loving child must be 
wisely dealt with, and she had often realized that with 
Fred, love must be the governing power, not force. 
To give way as she had to-day would be to lose her 
influence over him, not only because of repulsing the 
child himself, but because his critical eyes noticed every 
weakness and failure in her, to live up to her own code 
of morals laid down for him to follow. 

Her accusing conscience asked why she had not 
questioned and tried to help that poor woman who, 
with all her ignorance, was doing the best she could, to 
solve life’s problem. 

After all, what had she, Marion Hayden, to offer 
the world while she had not yet conquered herself ? 

Oh, the bitterness of regret, the repining for wasted 
moments and lost opportunities ! but here she was in 
her old groove of thought. Could she not try the new 
way, now that she so sorely needed it? 

She would try; she would begin to look on the 
other side of these questions. She would regain her 
footing in spite of her humiliating downfall, although 
there might still be a lingering sense of shame over her 
defeat. 

Later, her husband came home. He tossed her a 
paper saying : u Here is something that will clear you 
up. Bead it aloud. I just glanced over it, and found 
it very good.” He threw himself upon the sofa, wait 


A STRUGGLE WITH SELF. 


77 


ing for her to begin. Mechanically she took up the 
paper. 

“ 4 The Ubiquity of Good is this the article ?” 

“ Yes, there are several just as strong as that one.* 

“ Oh, I see ; yes — I can hardly wait to read aloud,” 
she exclaimed, running her eyes over the pages, 
instantly imbibing the spirit of the writer. She began 
with an awakening interest which increased till she was 
fairly electrified with delight. 

Her husband looked at her in astonishment although 
it had much the same effect on him. “ I thought you 
needed something like that ; ” he said, sitting bolt up- 
right and looking at her. “ You see, Marion, if you 
could only be as enthusiastic all the time as that 
woman is, you could do the works that she does and be 
as positive too.” 

“ I know it, and if I understood as well as she does, 
it would be different, but I know so little comparatively. 
Oh, if I could take lessons of the teacher she had — 
just listen, she says : ‘I have just had the privilege of 
going through a class in metaphysics taught by one 
who is conceded to be the best teacher in the world’ 
but,” continued Mrs. Hayden, “ I’ve looked all over the 
paper and can’t find the name of the teacher ; queer, 
isn’t it? Mayn’t I subscribe for this paper, John, and 
I will ask her who this teacher is, when I send the 
subscription ? ” 

“Well, yes I think if you could get the benefit 
from every number you have from that, it would be 
money well invested,” replied Mr. Hayden. In fact 
he was as much interested in mental science as she, and 


78 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


desired her to “go to the bottom if it,” as he expressed 
it. 

That night she retired with anew hope. If others 
could learn and demonstrate and keep, why could not 
she ? 



CHAPTER X. 


“ Oh, thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest 
bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create, 
know this of a truth, the thing thou seekest is already with 
thee, * here or nowhere, ' couldst thou only see ! ” — Carlyle. 


FI? HE very next morning the letter was written 
and the money sent for the new paper. 

Mrs. Reade came over on one of her bird-like 
errands, and of course, must hear something of the 
great help that had come so unexpectedly. 

“ How fortunate it came just now, for I have noticed 
several weeks you have been losing courage, and as for 
myself, I don’t seem to know what to do in any case 
any more, ” she exclaimed, after hearing a few extracts 
read from the paper. How you will find out who the 
teacher is and — ” 

“ I shall go away to take lessons as soon as pos- 
sible, ” interrupted Mrs. Hayden. “Yes, I must go,” 
she continued, “and see what there is in it. I have 
already experienced too much ph}^sically and spir- 
itually to be able to give it up. ” 

“ Indeed, you have certainly had as much of a proof 
as one could wish. If I could only do as much as you 
have, I should feel that it would be better to go without 
many other things rather than this. ” 

Mrs. Reade forgot that she had been able to keep 
little May in perfect health; that she herself had 
ceased worrying over trifles and learned to make the 

79 


80 


TI1E EIGHT KNOCK. 


best of everything. To her, the change had been so 
gradual that she hardly knew in what it consisted. In 
the meetings held by the few who were interested she 
had, unconsciously almost, given many glimpses of her 
private efforts and success, which showed how faith- 
fully she used what light she had. 

“ I wonder what Mrs. Grant would say to this, ” she 
resumed, after looking over the paper. “ I think she 
ought to take this paper, too. Of course, I expect to 
read yours, ” with an arch smile. 

“As you certainly may, I will let you have this 
number this afternoon ; I can’t spare it yet. You can’t 
imagine the abyss I fell into yesterday. It seemed 
that I had not only lost the ability to hold myself up, 
but the self respect that would help to regain my 
footing.” 

“ f It is always darkest before the dawn’, they say,” 
quoted Mrs. Reade, merrily, “and now the dawn of our 
delivery is at hand, we shall know what to do before 
the twilight comes again. But I came after your jelly 
mold and must not stand nere all day talking about 
things so utterly unlike — well, good-bye ! I can hardly 
tear myself away when I talk with you,” and she ran 
out with a gay smile. 

Nearly every week these last few months Mrs. 
Hayden, Mrs. Reade, Mrs. Grant and occasionally one 
or two others had met to read and talk on the all- 
absorbing topic and gain confidence and strength by 
an exchange of ideas and experiences ; but they knew 
not how to draw from the fountain of knowledge 
itself, and while they had learned much and gained 


HINTS OF HELP. 


81 


much, there was a lack which, in the moment of trial, 
they knew not how to supply. 

In a few days Mrs. Hayden received the coveted 
information as to the identity of the wonderful teacher, 
and that she was to teach several classes in Marlow, 
only two hundred miles away, which quite set her on 
fire with impatience to go at once. 

But circumstances were not propitious. There were 
many details to be arranged, much to be considered. 
What should be done with the children? Could she 
afford it? What could she wear? In her eagerness, 
she could have overcome every obstacle within an 
hour, but her better judgment told her to be patient 
a little longer, a decision her husband quite approved. 

In the meantime she tried to live more faithfully up 
to the light she had received, but the first flush of faith 
that had brought forth the works, seemed gone, and she 
knew not how to bring it back. Not that she was not 
just as earnest, not that she had lost a whit of her 
faith or interest, but the fire of impulse, unclouded by 
doubt, had disappeared. She thought about it every 
leisure moment, but concluded at last to let go such 
intense effort that must necessarily be blind, and live 
more in the “holy carelessness of the eternal Now,” as 
George MacDonald so beautifully expressed it in his 
book she was reading. 

In one respect she fared as comparatively few 
women do, who hunger after spiritual things ; she had 
her husband’s full sympathy and co-operation. After- 
ward, when she had seen more of the world and 
knew more about other women’s lives, she realized the 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


value of it, realized that without it she would have 
starved before she could have feasted. Oh, the sweet 
influence of a sympathy that unites and harmonizes 
two natures, no matter how opposite in character and 
tendencies. 



CHAPTER XI. 


“ As out of a dream, paths impossible to sense and every day show 
plain and sudden transit into distant places, so from your shut 
souls widens out an entrance way into God's everlasting joy!” 

— A. D. T. Whitney. 

J|^ T last the time came. She was to go for the last 
class in Marlow. The last problem as to what to 
be done while she was gone had been solved. The chil- 
dren were to be under the kind care of Anna, who agreed 
to do her best in looking after them. 

Mrs. Hayden’s wardrobe had received the necessary 
additions, the question of affording was not asked 
again, for it was like asking if she could afford food or 
clothing. 

It meant a great deal to her, going out in the world 
to get this wonderful knowledge. It was a new way of 
seeking the kingdom j)f heaven, and it must surely 
teach the right knock that would open the door. The 
little light that had already come to her proved that, 
for never before in all her years of hungry longing had 
she been so well fed, so visibly nourished. Surely her 
soul could not be mistaken in thus dictating her quest. 

“It seems too good to be true, John, that there is 
a way and that I am going to find it,” she said a few 
days before she went away. 

“ I am very glad, dear Marion, for your sake, that 
you are so happy in this. It certainly is a beautiful 
religion as far as we can understand it.” 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Yes, the very thing we tried so hard to find during 
all those years of darkness, and I have begun to act- 
ually feel thankful for our misfortunes, because it 
seems they have led us into this knowledge. What 
would we have known or cared for Miss Greening, had 
we been living in the mansion on the hill? Or what 
would we have believed, even if we had read some- 
thing about Christian Science ? ” 

“ It is hard to tell, but if you are content I am, 
wifie, although I should like the old home again.” 

Like many others he was able to appreciate the 
material good things, but knew not that the material 
are but emblems or symbols of the spiritual. 

“We shall posses something far better than all the 
palaces and kingdoms of the earth, if we get this ‘pearl 
of great price.’ I know now what it means for the rich 
to hardly enter the kingdom of heaven. It is because 
they are so satisfied in their rich possessions they feel 
they have everything worth having and need nothing 
more. That very indifference and apathy keeps them 
from getting spiritual treasures.” 

“How true that is, Marion,” said her husband, 
stroking his mustache thoughtfully. 

Just then the door bell rang and the girl presently 
ushered Grace and Kate into the room. 

“ Why, how do you do? I am more than glad .to 
see you,” said Mrs. Hayden, warmly grasping a hand 
in each of hers. 

“ It is such a lovely evening that we felt we should 
like a walk, and as we generally gravitate toward your 
house, here we are,” said Kate, laying aside her hat. 


LEAVING HOME. 


85 


“ Do you know I am going to Marlow to take the 
Christian Science lessons ? ” asked Mrs. Hayden, with a 
bright smile, as they were cosily seated for their chat. 

“ Are you, really ? I am so glad, Mrs. Hayden,” 
said Grace. “ When are you going ? ” 

“ Monday, on the afternoon train, and I shall be 
gone three weeks. It seems a long time now, but I 
hope it will be so profitable and pleasant that it will 
not seem long while it is passing.” 

Kate looked very grave. Finally she said: “Well, 
Mrs. Hayden, I am sorry you are going.” 

“ Why ? ” exclaimed Mrs. Hayden. 

“ Why ? ” echoed Grace, and the host looked the 
interrogation he did not verbally express. 

“Because I am seriously afraid it is wrong. Just a 
few days ago I had a talk with the minister, and he is 
very decided in his denunciation of it, saying it is 
plainly contrary to the teachings of the Bible, and I 
have been reading an article this afternoon that is very 
convincing in its arguments against it. Ho, Grace, 
you needn’t shake your head. I have been cowardly 
and lazy long enough about my religion, now I shall 
stand up for. what I think is right, and I love Mrs. 
Hayden too well not to warn her of what I believe to 
be a most dangerous heresy.” 

She had evidently nerved herself to say this, but 
her voice trembled with earnestness, and when she 
finished there were tears in her eyes. 

“I thank you, dear Kate, for your sincere regard, 
and appreciate your motive most deeply, but of course, 
that can not change my mind now,” said Mrs. Hayden, 
much touched. 


86 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ That, of course, is for you to decide, but I have 
suddenly realized my religious responsibility as never 
before, and have been earnestly considering this matter. 
At first it seemed all right and very beautiful, but I 
believe it is only the work of the devil to get people 
into his net of wickedness.” 

Grace was too astonished for speech ; now she under- 
stood what Kate had meant by her disinclination to talk 
on the subject since that night they had heard Miss 
Greening. Now her thoughtful spells were explained, 
as well as her eager desire to come here to-night. 

“ I do not see why the ministers should oppose it as 
they do,” said Mr. Hayden, after a short silence. 

“ If you look back over the history you will find 
they opposed giving freedom to the slaves; they 
opposed the temperance movement until it was forced 
upon them. Many of them now oppose woman’s suf- 
frage, though their audiences are often composed 
almost entirely of women. It seems a great mystery 
why they should oppose any of these good and neces- 
sary reforms, but I think it is because they are only 
mortal men, and have many mortal faults and a great 
% deal of mortal ignorance,” said Grace, recovering her 
tongue at last. 

“ It seems to me if everybody would read the words 
of Jesus and follow his example they would never be 
harsh, or critical, or uncharitable, and above all, they 
would not judge anybody or anything without a right- 
eous reason. The whole burden of his teaching is 
expressed in the sentence : ‘ Little children, love one 
another,’ ” was Mrs. Hayden’s opinion. Kate looked 
at her gratefully. 


LEAVING HOME. 


8 7 


“We would have a very different world if every one 
followed that law, and we have never heard a better 
one. The only difficulty is to know how to follow it,” 
added Mr. Hayden. 

“We must know the whole truth if we would be 
free from all error, and we can only get truth by ear- 
nestly seeking for it, is my firm conviction,” said his 
wife. 

“ If the truth makes us free, certainly we ought to 
search for it, and as we get it we can not be moved from 
our position, for by the nature of truth it is forever the 
same. Imagine anybody telling me two times two are 
five. If they argued and talked forever they could not 
prove it, for a lie can never be proved true.” 

“ That’s capital reasoning, Grace,” exclaimed Mr. 
Hayden, admiringly. 

“ Then if these ministers are in the right,” she con- 
tinued, “ why should they need to be so active and 
emphatic and malevolent, as they sometimes are, in 
their denunciation of what they call a lie, because if it 
is a lie, won’t it prove itself? And if their position is 
assured, and the truth must necessarily be assuring, 
since that is the essence and nature of it, if their posi- 
tion is assured, why is there any need of such resist- 
ance ? Jesus plainly taught the wcw-resistance of evil, 
if I read my Bible correctly this morning. I have been 
studying religion somewhat, too, the last few weeks,” 
she concluded, glancing at Kate rather apologetically. 

“ It would be well if we studied it a great deal more 
earnestly than we have before,” said Kate, flushing 
warmly. 


88 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Well, Kate, isn’t one of our best ways a thorough 
investigation of it ? ” 

“ Yes, of course.” 

“ Then I intend to look into Christian Science at my 
earliest opportunity, and see what there is in it. If 
there is nothing, it can not hurt me. If there is some- 
thing, it will prove itself, and I shall gladly accept the 
help it gives,” and Grace rested on her oars. 

“ I have a suggestion to make,” said Mr. Hayden, 
“ and that is that Mrs. Hayden write us a report of 
each day’s lecture, and you can come down and we will 
read them together, or I can hand them to you after I 
have finished them.” 

“ Capital !” exclaimed Grace. “ Will you do that, 
Mrs. Hayden?” 

“ I will do the best I can, and be delighted. It will 
help me as well as you ; but they will be nothing but 
ordinary letters, for I would have neither the time nor 
the ability to write lectures.” Then she added, turning 
to Kate, “ You will read them, too, won’t you, dear? for 
I do want you to understand that this is the true Christ- 
religion, and as Grace says, if it is true it will prove 
itself.” 

“I do not object to reading your letters; indeed 
shall be glad of the privilege,” replied Kate, with a 
deprecatory gesture. 

“ You must be sure and give us the practical part, 
so we can learn by practice as well as theory,” said 
Mr. Hayden, playfully. 

“ Yes, and I will promise to be a faithful student, if 
that will be any inducement,” added Grace ; “ and I 
know Kathie will, too; won’t you?” 


LEAVING HOME. 


39 


“Don’t say any more, please. You all know I 
want what is true and good,” she replied, huskily. 

It seemed hard to say the good-byes, even to go 
on this little trip. Mrs. Hayden looked at the chil- 
dren and home through blinding tears as her husband 
helped her into the carriage. They did not say much 
as they drove away to the depot, and both were deeply 
moved. There seemed such a momentous meaning in 
this journey. 

“ You must promise to write often, John ? ” 

“Yes, dear Marion, and don’t worry about us.” 

“I shall write every day, John, and I do want you 
to grow with me. Read the lessons please, very 
carefully.” 

“Yes; good-bye.” 

A kiss, and he was off. She waved her hand as 
the train started. 

Like a leaf on the rippling river, gently touching 
the stones or mosses in passing, but hurrying on to a 
broader outlook and a straighter pathway, we float in 
the varying current of life, now dallying with youth’s 
pleasures and playfully touching the problems before 
us, then sent adrift by a deep desire to know, we go 
out on a voyage of discovery, and be the winds rough 
or gentle, we go on till harbored at last. 

Nor would we leave thee, gentle Truth. May thy 
voice guide and strengthen and cheer; thy sweet 
knowledge be the lamp to our path ; thy words of wis- 
dom our armor and shield, and all the sweet enchant- 
ment of thy presence be with us forevermore. 


CHAPTER XII. 


“ Our weary years of wandering o’er, 

We greet with joy this radiant shore; 

The promised land of liberty, 

The dawn of freedom’s morn we see. 

O promised land, we enter in. 

With ‘ peace on earth, good will to men,’ 

The ‘ Golden age ’ now comes again, 

And breaking every bond and chain; 

While every sect, and race and clime, 

Shall equal share in this glad time.” 

— E. B. Harbert. 


ES. HAYDEN immediately sent a few words 
to her husband informing him of her safe 
arrival, but said nothing concerning her plans until 
later in the week, she wrote : 

“ I attended a reception last night that gave me a 
good idea of the great interest manifested in Christian 
Science by people from all parts of the country as well 
as this great city. Many who have been attending a 
convention of scientists the past week were there, and 
I met, among others, Mrs. Harmon. She is lovely, with 
such a sweet pleasant face and clear mild eyes. I do 
not wonder Miss Greening was charmed with her. We 
had quite a chat about mental healing. She gave me 
an interesting account of how she came into the work 
and what she is doing. I also met many others. One 
thing noticeable about these people that seems pecu- 
liarly characteristic, was the bright, happy faces so full 
of repose and trustfulness contrasted with the dull, 

90 


MRS. PEARLS LECTURE. 


91 


sluggish care-worn expression of people in general. It 
really rests and cheers wonderfully to look upon coun- 
tenances that carry the gospel of healing with them. 

“ After a pleasant social time, Mrs. Pearl, in whose 
honor the reception was given, was called upon for an 
address, the substance of which is about as follows: 

“ It is an unexpected pleasure as well as privilege 
to thus meet face to face so large a body of people who 
are working or desire to work for the uplifting and 
healing of humanity by this new yet old Christ- 
method. 

“While there are so many thousands of the world’s 
best workers engaged in lifting the burdens of sick- 
ness, sorrow and sin, there are none who accomplish 
more marvelous or speedy results than Christian Scien- 
tists. Indeed they have already demonstrated Chris- 
tian Science to be a most powerful means of reclaiming 
the sinful and adjusting social relations as well as heal- 
ing the sick. 

“ It already promises a better method of dealing 
with intemperance than that of any other class of re- 
formers. Why? Not because earnest, devoted women 
do not give time, labor and hearts’ blood to the temper- 
ance cause ; not because wise, honest men are not doing 
their best with tongue and pen, in legislative halls and 
political conventions, but because neither women nor 
men have learned the true principle of moral reform. 

“ The wise mother knows that the best way to keep 
her child from mischief is not to talk about his temp- 
tation but cause him to forget it by thinking of other 
and better things. She encourages him to do better by 


02 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


recognizing his higher nature and showing him a better 
way. She 6 overcomes the evil with the good.’ Thus 
his moral nature gradually gains ascendency over 
the lower. This, and this only is the true reform; but 
the same mother fails to carry out the same principle 
with larger children. She must learn that the same 
management which corrects and improves the child 
will correct and improve the sinner, for ^ sinner is 
only a child of larger growth. 

“ Thus far, the world has been most attracted to the 
healing of bodily ills, and all discomforts of the flesh, 
but the material demand is only a forerunner or symbol 
of the spiritual, and the signs of the times are even now 
ready for the keenest readers. People are beginning 
to enquire if this wonderful power for healing the body 
can not be used for the healing of vicious minds, the 
curing of depraved appetites. 

“ Since religious teachings and ethical lectures seem 
to be so inadequate to meet the crying need, why not 
try this new science which claims to be a panacea for 
all ills, ask the moral philosophers. 

“ £ The world moves slowly,’ it is said, but the world 
awakes slowly, it should be. We are ministering angels 
to one another, in our process of awakening. If we 
have not enough realization of truth to keep ourselves 
awake, some one comes along and wakes us up, by 
telling us more and we, in turn, wake some slumbering 
neighbor. 

‘‘Invisible and silent are the workings of Truth, 
and none may judge what best teaches the law. None 
may know what has given this or that insight into a 


MRS. PEARLS LECTURE. 93 

broader truth, but all at once some one has the new 
light, and hastens to impart the knowledge. 

“All effort for truth points to one end — Truth. 
All reforms, all religions point to a higher standard of 
living, a clearer realization of the highest and best, a 
broader vision of truth, a breaking away from the false 
and a bringing about of the true. 

“ Mankind is conservative and must needs consider 
many things in many ways. Old opinions are not 
easily relinquished because they are ‘bone of our bone 
and flesh of our flesh’ and not till we awake to spiritual 
as well as intellectual knowledge, shall we realize that 
we are free — free to listen, learn and live. 

“As in the history of every reform, we find opposi- 
tion and persecution facing the Christian Scientists, but 
as time goes on, even the unbelieving and conservative 
shall be brought to a knowledge of the truth. Many 
things unaccepted and unestablished to-day shall be 
proverbial platitudes of to-morrow. 

“We who have a clearer vision of the better way, 
who are demonstrating our position with such wondrous 
signs, must realize more and more the importance of 
the first and only law — the law of love. Judge not. 
Be a unit in Truth. 

“We come together as many, but should go away as 
one. We now have thousands of Christian Scientists all 
over the country who are striving as never before to live 
a higher life, to work for humanity according to the 
Master’s teachings, and it becomes us, as true disciples 
of such a leader to so live that we shall see the fulfill- 
ment of that blessed promise: ‘ Greater works than I, 
shall ye do.’ 


u 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Let us recognize the use and beauty of unity. Let 
us be as one, and then, like the brave and faithful 
Joshua, we shall be able to break down the walls of 
any Jericho. 

“ Christian Scientists, truth seekers, friends ! Make 
use of the golden privileges of to-day, use every 
moment for the furtherance of good, make every silent 
thought or uttered word a stream of influence that 
shall cause the desert to blossom like the rose. Send 
your thoughts out to the grand reformers, the women 
workers and the men workers, the tired mothers and 
the anxious fathers, the faithful teachers and the inno- 
cent children. Sow the seed diligently, no matter 
what the soil. Never mind the coldness, the indiffer- 
ence, the slighting ' disparagements, for bye-and-bye 
will come the harvest. Do in all ways as you would 
be done by. 

* Thou must be true thyself if thou the truth wouldst teach, 

Thy soul must overflow with truth, the true results to reach.’” 
******* 



CHAPTER XIII. 


“One Holy Church of God appears 
Through every age and race, 
Unwasted by the lapse of years, 
Unchanged by changing place. 

•‘From oldest time, on farthest shores, 
Beneath the pine or palm, 

One unseen Presence she adores, 

With silence or with psalm. 

“ Her priests are all God’s faithful sons. 
To serve the world raised up, 

The pure in heart her baptized ones, 
Love, her communion cup. 

“ The Truth is her prophetic gift, 

The soul her sacred page; 

And feet on mercy’s errand swift 
Do make her pilgrimage.” 


— Longfellow. 



l||pHE next day Mr. Hayden, with great interest, 


VilL7 read the letter containing the first lecture, which 
was given the day after the reception reported in the 
last chapter. Pertaining to the lesson he read : 

“ How I wished you were with me yesterday, and 
could see the fifty eager faces as they gathered in the 
class room and waited for Mrs. Pearl. 

“ Some sorrow r ful and careworn, some filled with the 
marks of suffering and pain, some hopeless and despair- 
ing, some careless and gay, some merely curious, but 
all expectant and interested. 

“It matters not with what varying motives a mass 


95 


96 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


of people meet together, there is a common chord of 
sympathy, which, if rightly touched, will cause the 
many to think and feel as one, and herein lies the secret 
of a teacher’s power. Mrs. Pearl has this faculty of 
gathering and holding the thoughts of her audience, 
and I could not help noting the calm and satisfied 
expression as they went out after the lecture. 

“ The first lesson is about The True Foundation, 
and while much of it is what we have known and 
believed, it is stated in a new and interesting way. 
I will give it, as nearly as possible, in her own words : 

“It is necessary to have a common premise in order 
to sustain a harmonious argument, and the first thing 
is to find a base or foundation from which and upon 
which to build. Our doctrine is to be established by 
sound reasoning and scientific argument, and we must 
go back to the beginning and learn something about 
the First Cause of all things. 

“ In ancient times students devoted themselves to 
the study of pure reasoning, and they found that by 
putting themselves in harmony with First Cause, they 
attained a power, by certain lines of thought and 
through the speaking of words, to perform wondrous 
works, healing the sick, having dominion over all crea- 
tion. 

“ They discovered the different results of speaking 
words of science, which are words of truth, and words 
of error or words contrary to reason. Pight, true 
words brought forth right and true conditions to every- 
one around them, but deviation from this line of rea- 
son, would bring discord and trouble and undesirable 


TUB TRUE FOUNDATION. 


97 


conditions. These wise thinkers declared Mind to be 
the First Cause of all creation, and announced the 
study of Mind and the words and ways of Mind, to be 
the profound est theme that could engage the attention 
of man. 

“We find this philosophy and these conclusions 
corroborated by the Bible, which we shall consider and 
prove to contain revelations of changeless, eternal 

truth. 

“ Truth is universal, and whatever is true in one 
part of the universe must be true in all parts. That 
which has been understood and conceded to be true in 
all ages and climes is what we call universal truth. 

“Because the first chapter of Genesis, then, agrees 
in all essential particulars with the accounts of other 
nations and among other peoples we consider it univer- 
sal truth. 

“Because it is so beautiful, logical and spiritual, we 
revere it ; because our own inner consciousness of 
truth agrees with its statements, we concede it to be as 
accurate and reasonable an account of Creation as we 
have, and we are therefore willing to use it as the 
basis of our argument. 

“We read : ‘ In the beginning God created,’ but a 

more literal and spiritual rendering would make the 
pivotal statement, ‘ God creates.’ How we know 
there can be no beginning or end to Omnipotence, 
hence there must be a continuous creating, and thus 
the term 6 beginning ’ could only refer to the manifes- 
tation of what had already been created. How was 
the creation manifested? By the Word. ‘God said, 


98 


THE BIGHT KNOCK. 


let there be light, and it was so,’ and by every ‘ God 
said,’ was manifested the thing which He said was to be. 

The word God is an abbreviation of the Anglo- 
Saxon Good, the two words in that language being 
identical. According to that we may say the Good 
creates, with the same accuracy that we say God creates. 
This gives us a broader conception of God, and a truer 
idea of the Creator as Principle, not Person. 

“ So many have erroneously conceived of God as a 
personal Being, with the attributes of a person or man, 
but how can a being with definite form be omnipresent ? 
I have often wondered how God looks, but now I 
begin to realize the words of Jesus, that ‘ Ho man hath 
seen God at any time.’ 

u We can perceive the quality of God in Good, with 
our mind, and must perceive or apprehend God through 
our spiritual discernment. It is very important to dis- 
tinguish between Personality and Principle. (How 
John, do not be too hasty and say this is too broad a 
statement, but just wait. Remember, if we would 
learn anything we must first become as a little child.) 

We can easily conceive of Principle as being every- 
where present. The principle of music or mathematics, 
for instance, can be demonstrated anywhere and 
everywhere at the same moment. Good can be demon- 
strated everywhere, hence must be Principle, uple. 

“We can not prove God through the senses, for lie 
is invisible, being spirit, and not flesh and blood, like 
this man of the five senses. Some things can only be 
known by intuition, without the aid of the senses, and 
because of an inherent idea in our consciousness. For 


THE TR UE FO UNDA TION. 


99 


instance, every nation worships Deity in some way. 
Since we cannot know God through the senses, by 
which we gain knowledge of visible things, how can 
we know there is a God ? 

“ As Paul says : ‘ Likewise the spirit itself beareth 

witness with, our spirit that we are the children of 
God and what better answer could we have? 

“ Spirit, according to Webster, is : * Life or living 

substance considered independent of corporeal existence 
— vital essence, force, or energy as distinct from mat- 
ter. ’ God is the vital essence, God is spirit, and God 
is substance — ‘ the real or existing essence, ’ ‘ the divine 

essence or being. ’ 

© 

“ God, therefore, is the invisible Principle that creates 
and sustains all things — the All-Power, the All-Intel- 
ligence, the All-Mind, the All-Love, the All-Substance, 
the All-Harmony, the All-Life, the All-Good, omni- 
present, omniscient, omnipotent. This is theone Creator, 

‘ one God who is Father of all, over all, and in all . 5 

“ Though we cannot see this God or Good Principle, 
we can apprehend it through the signs or manifesta- 
tions that we see. As we look about, we everywhere 
see the signs of life — not Life itself, but the signs of it 
— that tell of the presence of God or Good. How 
Life is Good in and for itself. 

“We often see the divinest love manifested through 
every deed of love, every heroic act of higher living, 
every grand sacrifice of self-comfort, pleasure , even 
life itself. Jesus says: ‘Greater love can no man 
have than to lay down his life for his friend.’ Such 
love is a manifestation of the one, only Love, which is 
God — Good omnipresent. 


100 


TUE EIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Every glimpse of Truth which the whole world 
seeks to know and wherever found, is a realization of 
the omnipresent Truth, which is God. 

a Intelligence, in its highest or lowest form, is but 
a manifestation of God as Intelligence; for whence 
comes our intelligence if not from the great and only 
Intelligence, which is ever flowing to us and through 
us, which is ever being generated in us, whenever and 
wherever we are willing to let it manifest itself. 

“Emerson says: ‘There is one mind common to 
all individual men. Every man is an fnlet to the same 
and to all of the same. He that is once admitted to 
the right of reason is made a free man of the whole 
estate. * * * Who hath access to this universal 
mind is a party to all that is or can be done, for this is 
the only and sovereign agent. ’ 

“ So we reason about health and strength and 
justice, or any of the divine qualities, which we 
may claim as a part of our inheritance, because 
they are inherent in the All, in which 4 we live, 
are moved, and have our being.’ 

“Havihg something of an understanding as to the 
nature of this divine Principle, we can, to some extent, 
apprehend that the essence of all things manifesting it, 
and manifested by it, must be good like itself, must be 
of the same quality as itself; as light emanating from 
light, must be of the same essence and quality as that 
from which it emanates. God, like light, is always the 
same, and cannot send forth or create anything 
opposite Himself. 

“ The nature of God embraces every good quality of 


THE TRUE FOUNDATION 


101 


masculine and feminine character, as also the imper- 
sonal life Principle. It is therefore proper to use the 
masculine, feminine or neuter pronoun when referring 
to Deity. As different phases of the one Love, we see 
manifested, the strong, all-protecting, intelligent 
father-love, the tender, restful, patient mother-love, 
the innocent, confiding, trustful child-love, each 
complete in the whole, which can be recognized by all 
or one of these attributes. 

“The great Mind of which the ancient philosophers 
tell us and which Emerson so plainly realized, is the 
the Origin and Force of all Creation, the Mind for 
which we have found so many synonyms and so 
many offices, the Great Invisible of which all visible 
things are but signs or symbols. 

“There is but one great Mind, one great Thinker. 
All thoughts of this Mind, which is Infinite Goodness, 
must be infinitely good, and man is the crown and 
apex of the wonderful creation — is made in the image 
and likeness of God. 

“If we concede the Creator, God, to be omnipresent, 
omniscient and omnipotent, the only Po;ver there is, 
perfect, unchangeable and eternal, we must necessarily 
concede that all which lie creates is good, and must 
remain so because everything connected with, emanat- 
ing from, or similar to Him is, and must be like Him 
in quality and essence. 

“ The true man is spiritual, perfect like his Father, 
and can only be subject to perfect conditions. If we 
continually and persistently recognize the true creation 
which is invisible, we make manifest the perfect condi- 


lOi 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


tions in the sign of the true, which is the visible. In 
doing this, we are, in the most essential sense, acknowl- 
edging God, worshiping the one Deity. 

“ Because we have so long recognized the other pow- 
ers we have become idolators, and must now turn back 
to the only true God. ‘ If thou return to the almighty, 
thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far 
from thy tabernacles. . . For thou shalt have thy 

delight in the almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto 
God.’ 

“We have become filled with false beliefs, 
because we have judged according to appearances, and 
hence drawn false conclusions. How can we know 
spiritual truth without spiritual knowledge ? How can 
we have spiritual knowledge without spiritual percep- 
tion ; how can we have spiritual perception without 
recognizing Spirit, Substance, God, as the supreme 
Essence back of all visible forms ? 

“This is the fundamental principle of healing — this 
recognition of spiritual being and spiritual law. Grasp- 
ing only the surface meaning of this grand truth, we 
recognize and admire the mental power which produces 
cures, hence it is frequently called mind-cure, because, 
through the agency of mind, the cure is wrought, as 
we say, water-cure or sun-cure for the same reason ; but 
as we proceed in the study, we will go beyond an intel- 
lectual to a spiritual perception of what is meant by 
met-ctrphysicdl , which pertains not only to a science of 
mental phenomena, but the science of real being, and 
has to do with the spiritual or real self of man. 

“ Now John, if you don’t understand, just wait and 


THE TRUE FOUNDATION. 


103 


study, for really we must study these statements, with- 
out prejudice, too, for that is the only way, and of 
course we cannot expect to understand at once. The 
great essential is to keep uppermost the desire for truth, 
but I need not tell you that, for what an earnest truth- 
seeker you are, nobody knows better than myself. 

“This is the best I can do toward giving the 
first lesson, but you must think well upon it and get a 
good foundation laid for what is to come next. 
This science is to be developed rather than learned. 

“ I want to put in every moment I can get for 
study, so must close. Hand this this to Kate and 
Grace. I do hope they will be interested. 

“ Tell me all about your progress, and the precious 
little ones — how are they ? 

“Your loving Makion.” 



CHAPTER XIV. 


“How shall I know if I do choose the right Shakespeare. 


“ Truth is one, 

And in all lands beneath the sun. 
Whoso hath eyes to see may see 
The tokens of its unity.” 


— Whittier. 



HAT is a very clear statement,” said Mr. Hayden, 


as he handed the letter to Grace when she called 


the next evening. 

“Do you think we can get much of an idea 
from it ? ” 

“ O yes, indeed we can ; hut you take it home and 
read it with Kate.” 

Grace went straight home with her prize for she 
was more interested than she cared to admit just yet, 
and Kate was still reluctant and fearful about the possi- 
ble wrong. 

Grace had awakened in the night, just after Mrs. 
Hayden had gone and found her crying. “ What is the 
matter, Katie she asked. 

“Oh, Grace, I am so worried about this Science, 
and I am afraid I did wrong to even promise 
Mrs. Hayden I would read her letters,” sobbed the 
poor child. 

“ Why, Katie dear, we could never know anything 
if we did not look into it and use the reason God has 
given us. Surely you are not afraid to examine into 


m 


QUESTIONINGS. 


105 

what claims to be such wonderful truth. You do not 
necessarily accept by examining it, and I am glad we 
can have the privilege of reading what Mrs. Hayden 
says, for she has such a fair, unprejudiced mind, and will 
give us the matter just as nearly right as she can ; 
then we can judge for ourselves.” 

She reached over and drew Kate into her arms, but 
the sobbing did not cease at once. Grace was natur- 
ally kind-hearted, and respected people’s feelings. 
To-night she was very gentle, as Kate gratefully 
realized. 

“ Come Kate, put away your fears. There’s noth- 
ing can change the truth you have, and if it isn’t truth, 
the sooner you change your mind the better. What 
makes you feel so, all at once ? Has some one said 
anything?” 

“ Yes, Mr. Harrow gave me such a talking to when 
I asked him if it was wrong ; for someway, I got so 
troubled that I did not know what else to do.” 

“Well, what of it; you don’t see anything wrong 
in it yourself, do you? ” 

“H — o, not exactly.” 

“What are you afraid of, then?” 

“ I — I don’t know,” with a hysterical sob. She 
was ashamed to admit that she was half {ufraid of eter- 
nal punishment, something she had been in vague 
terror of all her life. It had been impressed upon her 
so vividly, and now she was suffering from a keenly 
reproachful conscience, because for so long a time she 
had been indifferent and neglectful of her religious 
duties. 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


106 * 


Grace finally persuaded her it would be all right to 
give the matter a fair investigation. Then she went to 
sleep, comforted, for half her misery had been caused 
by her indecision and wavering. 

When they read the letter together, Grace was 
delighted and Kate not much less so, though she 
demurred a little about some things. 

“ What beautiful ideas of God ! It seems plainer 
than anything I ever heard. To say God is Principle, 
not person, makes it easier to apprehend His omni- 
presence,” exclaimed Grace, laying down the letter. 

“ Y-e-s, in one sense,” slowly assented Kate, “ but 
in the Bible He is spoken of as Person, or at least as 
having personal attributes, and you know they fre- 
quently refer to what He says and how He talked 
, with Abraham.” 

“ O, I think that is figurative, if it is true at all. 
How can a being with a definite or outlined form be 
everywhere at the same time ? ” 

“ But surely, you believe His thoughts can be 
everywhere, and that is what is meant by this omni- 
presence,” said Kate, earnestly. 

“ Then do you think of Him as sitting on a great 
golden throne, listening to the petitions of men below, 
and able to hear and to grant or refuse at the same 
moment every prayer that is sent to Him by the mil- 
lions of His children on earth?” 

“ ‘ God’s ways are not our ways, and with Him all 
things are possible.’ ” 

“ But is it not much easier to say this is Principle, 
which is everywhere waiting for our recognition of its 


QUESTIONINGS. 107 

presence to become manifested to us?” pursued 
Grace. 

“ Yes, I don’t know but it is.” 

“ Now Kate, I am truly in earnest and mean to 
study this very earnestly. I know very little about 
the Bible, because it has been a sealed book to me 
every time I ever tried to read it, but during these 
three weeks that Mrs. Hayden is gone, I am going to 
put away my preconceived opinions as far as possible 
and see if I can learn something, and now let us get 
the Bible and see what it says on these questions. You 
have a concordance. Let us look up the word omni- 
presence and read some of the passages in which it 
occurs.” 

Kate was well pleased, not only to make the Bible 
the foundation of this study, but to find Grace so 
changed, and so ready to look into sacred things. 
“Perhaps she will be converted,” she thought, and 
from that moment she, too, resolved to look fairly into 
Christian Science. She brought the concordance and 
found there was no reference to omnipresence. 

“We’ll look for present or presence,” suggested 
Grace. She glanced rapidly down the columns and 
found a reference to Ps. cxxxix. and turned to that. 

“ Yes, in the seventh verse it says: ‘ Whither shall I go 
from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy pres- 
ence?’ and here is a marginal reference to Jer. xxiii: 
24. ‘Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall 
not see him ? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and 
earth ? ’ Now it seems to me that carries the idea of a 
personal Being,” said Kate. 


108 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“Well, let us look up the references to God,” sug- 
gested Grace again. “ Here’s one in Deut. xxxii : 4. 
4 He is the rock, his work is perfect ; for all his ways 
are judgment; a God of truth and without iniquity, just 
and right is he.’ Yes, there He is compared to a rock. 
Of course that is symbolical, but find another. Isn’t 
there one that tells of Him as spirit? ” 

“ Yes, 4 God is spirit, and they that worship him 
must worship him in spirit and in truth,’ that is in 
John iv: 24, and in the first chapter of John it reads: 
4 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was 
with God and the Word was God.’ ” 

44 Ah ! there we have it very plain; word is not flesh 
and blood or person. Doesn’t it say in the letter that 
God is Intelligence, which is only another way to 
express the same thing?” 

44 Yes, and I remember when Jesus prayed for His 
disciples, He said : ‘Sanctify them through thy truth, 
thy word is truth;’ and some place in the Bible it 
speaks of God as truth,” said Kate, quite willing to give 
all the corroborative testimony she could. 

44 Truth can only be considered as principle, so we 
have that statement confirmed by the Bible, and that 
would agree with what Pythagoras wrote,” said Grace, 
quoting : 44 4 There is one Universal Soul diffused through 
all things, eternal, invisible, unchangeable; in essence 
like truth, in substance resembling light ; to 

be comprehended only by the mind.’ How it is com- 
paratively easy to see manifestations of the Good. By 
the way, I think it a volume of explanation in itself to 
say Good instead of God, don’t you ? ” 


quESTWNims. 


109 


“Well, yes, it does seem peculiarly expressive, but 
the old way sounds a little better yet.” 

“ Of course,” pursued Grace, “it doesn’t matter so 
much what we call this omnipresent power, as whether 
we understand it. All humanity worship the same 
Deity in the sense of recognizing an omnipotent Power. 
I once read something comparing the ideas of God 
among the different peoples, and it was really wonder- 
ful how similar they were, excepting, of course, each 
nation had a different name for Deity. I believe I 
have that book now somewhere ; ” and Grace went to 
look for it, but presently returned without finding it. 
“Well, it made such a vivid impression on me that I 
remember a few of the principal statements. One was 
that the Hindoos teach of an omnipresent, omniscient 
and omnipotent Being called Brehm who is the creator 
of all things, from whom all things emanate and by 
whom all things are sustained. The Persians, Egyp- 
tians, Greeks held similar ideas. The Persians called 
God, Ormuzd, the Greeks, Orpheus, the Egyptians, 
Osiris.” 

“I did not know the Pagans held such ideas of 
Deity. I always thought they believed in many gods,” 
said Kate. 

“They did, but as Edward Everett Hale, says: 
‘The innumerable Gods of the Pantheon are but mani- 
festations of the One Being,’ that is, they had special 
names for the different manifestations of God, as He 
appeared to them in the sun, the air, the earth, and 
also the different qualities of human character. They 
all alike believed in a Supreme Being, and made 


110 


THE BIGHT KNOCK. 


statements almost synonymous with many in the Bible. 
That is what may be called universal truth, and if 
Christian Science is what is consistent with funda 
mental truth, it will be just what I have been wishing 
to find.” Grace leaned back meditatively, adding, 
“Mythology used to have a peculiar charm for me, 
and many of those old stories are coming back with a 
new significance.” 

“ ‘ There is but one foundation, other, can no man 
lay,’ ” quoted Kate, earnestly. 

“Yes, my dear,” and Grace rose and paced back 
and forth in deep abstraction. “ There is but one 
Truth and we can not establish a falsity. But I want 
to carry my reflections a little further concerning this 
universal worship. To my mind, the power inherent 
in everything and recognized in some way by every 
individual is the supreme, perfect Power in different 
phases of manifestation. The man- who trusts an 
unseen power to bring the seed he plants to full frui- 
tion, is believing in the true God, though he may not 
know it. 

“The whole world lives on faith from one year to 
another, for there is not enough food produced in one 
season to last more than one year, and if men did not 
know every succeeding season would provide, they 
would be desperate indeed. What is this but believing 
in a supreme Power? Even materialists admit that 
the great First Cause is beyond matter. Herbert 
Spencer speaks of it as the ‘Universal Reality, without 
beginning and without end.’ ” 

“All people reverence and admire the sentiments of 


QUESTIONINGS. 


Ill 


love and justice and truth and mercy. Let us agree they 
come from the same cause and are everywhere present, 
and we shall come nearer to worshiping God in 
spirit and in truth, than we ever have before. Now 
let’s have your opinion, Queen Katherine,” concluded 
Grace, looking at Kate with a playful smile as she 
finished her long dissertation. 

“ There is nothing I can add to that, and it seems a 
very good conclusion to our first lesson. I did not 
'know you had thought so much about religious things, 
Grace.” 

“ I always had a fondness for looking on the for- 
bidden side of things, and I am afraid I was more 
curious than religious, but I am rather glad if there is 
an explanation to these things that have always puz- 
zled me.” 



CHAPTER XV. 


“ A lie can not exist — it only appears. Truth is consciousness con- 
sistent with itself in every relation ; error is consciousness incon- 
sistent with itself in some relation .” — Judge H. P. Biddle. 

“ And what an end lies before us ! To have a consciousness of our 
own ideal being flashed through us from the thought of God! 
Surely, for this may well give way all our paltry self-conscious- 
ness, our self-admiration and self-worships! Surely, to know 
what He thinks about us will pale out of our souls all our 
thoughts about ourselves ! ” — George MacDonald. 


Marlow, September — . 



® EAR JOHN : I hope you are as anxiously await- 
ing this letter as I awaited the second lecture. 
It was splendid, so comprehensive, and above all, so 
practical. It throws light on many puzzling points, 
and I am delighted so far with what seems so plain and 


true. 


“ Some of the members of the class seemed quite 
shocked at some of the statements, but it is not strange 
that they should seem startling to one who has never 
thought on the subject, for indeed, I should think it 
would take a good while to get used to reasoning that 
is directly opposite the world’s first conclusions ; still 
we are looking for results that are quite contrary to 
what the world looks for, so we can afford to collide 
with its opinions. When Mrs. Pearl came into the 
class room, all turned to look at her and every ear was 
ready to listen. 

“ In yesterday’s lesson we made a statement of God 
as the only Mind of the universe, the Great Reality 


112 


WHAT IS NOT TRUE. 


i 

beside whom there is absolutely nothing in existence • 
but as we look around at the scenes of suffering and 
poverty and ignorance, we are mightily tempted to 
disbelieve such a statement. 

“ ‘ Talk of omnipotent Light in the midst of midnight 
darkness!’ you exclaim. Ah, but you are to remem- 
ber we are talking of the real creation ; the invisible 
and unapparent instead of the visible and apparent ; the 
changeless and eternal instead of the evanescent and 
decaying. 

“ If God is the only Reality, His creation is the only 
real creation. The word real is applied to that which 
actually exists, which forever is, not to that which 
seems or appears ; therefore, in speaking of the real we 
mean the changeless and invisible. 

44 If God is the only Mind, His are the only real 
thoughts, and thoughts are invisible to the eye, but 
discernible to the mind or consciousness. 

“ If God is everywhere, there is no possible place or 
space in the universe where God is not ; hence He is 
all there is. One of our modern prophets wisely wrote : 
4 Has not a deeper meditation taught certain of every 
clime and age that the Where and the When so mys- 
teriously inseparable from all our thoughts, are but 
superficial ' adhesions to thought; that the Seer may 
discern them where, they mount up out of the celestial 
Everywhere and Forever. Have not all nations con- 
ceived their God as omnipresent and eternal, as existing 
in a universal Here, an everlasting How ? 

44 4 Think well, thou too wilt find that space is but a 
mode of our human sense, so likewise Time. There is 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


1U 

no space and no time. We are — we know not what ; 
light sparkles floating in the ether of Deity. So this so 
solid seeming world, were, after all, but an air-image — 
our me the only reality/ 

“ This me is the spiritual self, the individual idea of 
God, His image and likeness. 

“ What then, about this body, which is not spiritual, 
you ask ? What about the material universe? 

“ Wait a moment. Think of the premise. As God 
the invisible is the changeless, what is the variable, 
fleeting, visible unreality ? The real is everlasting, the 
unreal is transitory. The real is called Spirit, the 
unreal matter. 

“What is Spirit? The underlying omnipresent 
substance that we call God. 

“ What is matter ? The counterfeit, shadow, 
emblem, showing that Spirit exists or is. 

“We read in a very ancient Hindoo Scripture: 
‘Those who have understanding, whose thought is pure, 
see the entire universe as the picture of Thy wisdom ; ’ 
and the thoughtful Carlyle said ; ‘All visible things are 
emblems. . . . Matter represents some idea and 

bodies it forth.’ 

“These thoughts are in perfect accord with the 
principles laid down in our premise, hence we find that 
as we believe matter, believe the body to be the real 
creation, we are believing a falsity. This is the idol we 
are worshiping instead of the true and only God. 
The grand visible universe in which we see" so many 
beauties, so many charms, is but the mighty object 
lesson before us by which we may learn of the infinite, 


WHAT IS NOT TRUE. 


115 


invisible All. As Theodore Parker said : 4 The uni- 
verse itself is a great autograph of the Almighty.’ 

“ The characters used in mathematics do not consti- 
tute the science but merely represent to the senses the 
invisible ideas of the principle of mathematics. The 
visible does not constitute the invisible, but may cany 
its messages as we learn to read its poetic and mystic 
pages. The visible speaks to the mortal nature, but 
the invisible beyond and above, speaks to the immor- 
tal nature. 

“ Since we find matter to be so totally opposite the 
real, there is no other name for it than as the unreal, 
and the unreal being a counterfeit of the real, must be 
a lie, as the nature of a lie is to make false claims, pre- 
tending they are true. 

44 Matter is a counterfeit because it is not genuine or 
of God, because it is changeable and fleeting, because 
being limited to a visible form, it must have finite limi- 
tations and can merely give finite conceptions. 

44 Taking it as a sign of something infinite, we learn 
of the infinite. All the students, teachers, learned 
men and women of the world have added to the world’s 
spiritual ideas revealed by their study of the finite as 
well as their intuitive knowledge of the infinite. 
Charles Kingsley gives us a hint of how to learn: 4 Do 
not study matter for its own sake but as the counte- 
nance of God. Try to extract every line of beauty, 
every association, every moral reflection, every inex- 
pressible feeling from it.’ 

44 Our ideas of matter must then be entirely changed, 
and we must learn to look beyond the seeming, to the 


116 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


true. We have believed in the reality of matter and 
material environment because of reasoning from the 
false basis that man is material or that he is a mixture 
of material and spiritual. To believe that the flesh 
and blood of our sister or brother is their real self, is 
to believe God capable of creating something utterly 
unlike himself (John iii, James i.) which may suffer, sin 
and die, and if He is all perfection, He can not know 
imperfection. If He is all spirit, He can not know or 
be matter. Keep before your mind the perfection, 
omnipotence, omnipresence of Spirit, God or Principle, 
and you will see more and more dearly the inconsist- 
ency of anything opposite Him emanating from Him. 

“ Believing in matter as a reality, we have endowed 
it with all the power of the real, have ascribed to it 
life, substance and intelligence, when it possesses 
neither. 

“ Where is the life when the body dies? If life 
were inherent in the physical body, could it ever cease 
to be ? God the eternal life principle can not cease to 
be. The life manifested through the body is the life 
which is God and can not be affected by the decay or 
disappearance of the body. 

“ The invisible essence of life is also the true sub- 
stance, the reliable and changeless something, upon 
w T hich we may forever depend. We use the word 
substance in its etymological sense (from sub, under 
and stare, to stand), and since Spirit or Mind is the 
reality that underlies every material or sensible object, 
there is no substance to the object itself. 

“ Plato taught that 4 ideas, are the only real things.’ 


WHAT IS NOT TRUE. 


117 


Ideas are expressions of thoughts, and thoughts are 
expressions of mind, and this reasoning brings us back 
to God as Mind and Mind as Cause. Admitting Mind 
or Spirit to be the life and substance back of or express- 
ing itself through the body, we may easily see that 
intelligence can not exist apart from Mind, and hence 
can not belong to matter. 

“ That the mind or intelligence is seated in the 
gray convolutions of the brain, is held by the material- 
ists, and yet Dr. Laycock affirms ‘ that matter is fun- 
damentally nothing more than that which is the 
seat of motion to ends, of which mind is the source 
and cause.’ Professor Huxley crowns the statement by 
saying, ‘That which perceives or knows is mind or 
spirit, and therefore, that knowledge which the senses 
give us, is, after all, a knowledge of spiritual phenom- 
ena.’ Professor Faraday held to the immateriality of 
physical objects. 

“In the language of Jesus the Christ, we are told, 
‘Spirit is all, the flesh profiteth nothing;’ thus from 
all classes of conscientious but confessedly diverse 
thinkers, we find statements of universal truth, and 
this is what the hungry, starving world is seeking with 
more earnestness than ever before. 

“ Since there is no life, substance or intelligence in 
matter, it will be comparatively easy to prove that 
there can be no sensation, for where there is no life in 
the body, there can be no feeling. Even the physiolo- 
gists tell us mind must know pain before it can be 
located in the body. We state therefore a theorem 
which is practically demonstrated; there is no sensation 
in matter. 


118 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


44 As we visit penitentiaries, reform schools and hos- 
pitals, as we read and hear the startling statements of 
press and pulpit, we grow disconsolate and heavy- 
hearted over the awful power and reality of evil, for- 
getting again that He who is perfect goodness can not 
behold evil or in any way permit its existence, any more 
than heat can permit cold, or light can permit darkness. 

“Granting the omnipotence of Good, where is there 
any room for its opposite ? 

“ If there is but one Power, and that omnipotent 
and perfect, there can be no evil in reality ; hence we 
are dealing with another lie when we judge according 
to appearances, which Jesus said we should not do. It 
is really disloyalty to God to impute to Him all misery, 
pain, sickness and suffering caused by the evil and 
ignorance of man. We are told: 4 Let your soul be 
subject to the higher powers, for there is no power but 
of God . 5 Because we have not done so, but have 
believed in every claim power, we suffer from 4 evils 
which our own misdeeds have wrought,’ as Milton 
wrote, or, in the words of Emerson, 4 we misc reate our 
own evils. ’ 

44 Jeremiah said: 4 It is your sins that have with- 
holden the good things from you. ’ 

44 According to Webster, 4 sin is a transgression of 
the law of God. ’ There is but one law — the perfect 
and unchangeable Truth. Any deviation from Truth 
is error, and error is sin. In proportion as we deviate 
from the strictly true, then, we sin. Because we admit 
things to be true which are not true, we admit , then 
commit sin, and hence suffer for sin. 4 Knowyenot 


WHAT IS NOT TRUE . 


119 


that to whomsoever ye yield yourselves servants to obey, 
his servants ye are, whether of sin unto death or 
obedience unto righteousness , 9 wrote Paul. We first 
think wrong. Sin is of the mind, not of the body. 

“ To acknowledge the reality of sin or evil is a trans- 
gression of the law, because, according to our estab- 
lished premise, it cannot be true. 

“ Through a misconception of our relation to God, 
and a belief in the power of evil, we are obliged to 
admit the existence of sin, sickness, and death, neither 
of which can be true in the presence of God, as the only 
Reality, in which or in whom are all things that 
eternally are, not that temporarily appear. 

“We have believed in a mind or power of thought 
opposite and contrary to God, when in reality there 
can be nothing opposite or contrary to eternal Mind. 
We have believed ourselves endowed with a mind sep- 
arate from God, and ourselves subject to temptation 
from some cause not Good. We have believed in 
minds, when there is but one Mind. 

“This false force, this false mind, is variously 
called the evil or carnal mind, the mind of the flesh, 
the old man, the serpent, the devil, the adversary. It 
is simply the opposite or contradictory of the Good, 
the god of evil. 

“ Beside every true or positive statement there is a 
false or negative claim, and in so far as we are ignorant 
of the true, we are in bondage to the false. To believe 
the claims of error is to be bound; to know the reality 
of truth is to be free. To believe in a mind or power 
separate or opposite from God, is to be subject to any 


120 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


suppositions or beliefs formulated by that mind or 
negative thought. 

“ That we are spiritually perfect is true, but it is 
necessary for us to prove that fact by 4 working out our 
own salvation, 5 by manifesting the positive or God 
quality of thought through our life and actions, and 
the only way to be filled with good thought is to 
recognize and acknowledge the Good only as the real. 

44 This error, tempter or devil, was spoken of by 
Jesus as having no truth, as being a liar, and the 
father or cause of lies (John viii: 44). Instead of devil 
(which is only another name for evil or the slanderer), 
or ‘carnal mind 5 , as Paul called it, we find mortal 
thought a better term for the expression of this power 
of thinking. 

44 4 Why have we this power of thinking wrong 
thoughts when there is but one good and only Mind? 5 
you ask. As God’s idea, in the image and likeness of 
Mind that thinks, we have the power of recognition, 
the power to be or not to be, the possibility to become 
sons of God. We have the power to distinguish, to 
judge, to know ; we have the spirit that ever leads us 
on and on in truth. 

44 But here is where we fail. In our ignorance or 
limited state of unfoldment, we have mistaken the sym- 
bol for that which is symbolized ; we have judged 
according to appearances instead of righteous or 
strictly true judgment ; we have yielded to a belief in 
sin, hence are servants of sin. 

44 This mortal thought has a counterfeit power, sim- 
ply because we have delegated to it a power, have 


WHAT IS NOT TRUE. 


1H1 

acknowledged it as an entity, separate from the eter- 
nal Mind. 

“ Reasoning in this way we find everywhere two 
opposites or contradictories to be recognized and 
judged, as the visible and the invisible, the material 
and the spiritual, the false and the true, the mortal and 
the immortal, the unreal and the real, the negative and 
the positive. 

“ Judging of the true by that which is changeless 
and eternal, we can decide at once on those qualities or 
attributes belonging to or describing what is true, and 
by knowing what is true, we can readily distinguish it 
from the erroneous. 

“ We have considered these great errors or nega- 
tives which the world has believed and still believes in, 
and they must be dealt with according to scientific law. 

“ Through all the ages of Christianity have been 
heard the words of the Master: ‘If any man will 
come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross 
and follow me ; ’ but who has understood it ? The let- 
ter of the law has indeed been observed by many earn- 
est followers of Jesus to a degree not considered neces- 
sary in this age, but what has it demonstrated? What 
has come of all the fasting and renunciation, the cruel 
asceticism and severe discipline? 

“Do these conscientious disciples give an unmis- 
takable proof of their disci pleship by showing the 
signs that must follow the true believer ? How can 
they when they talk of sin, sickness and death ; of 
things contradictory to the nature, power and presence 
of God ? 


m 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Then they must not have understood the spiritual 
import of these words of Jesus to ‘deny himself.’ 
Deny means, according to Webster, ‘to contradict; to 
declare not to be true ; to disclaim connection with ; to 
refuse to acknowledge ; to disown.’ Jesus meant deny 
the mortal thought, the false self ; refuse to acknowl- 
edge it as having any authority ; and it is only as the 
Christian Scientist proves this to be the true mode of 
denying self, that he can speak with authority as to 
the scientific method of dealing with all the errors to 
which mortal thought gives birth. 

“No other w T ay has brought the desired result; 
hence we confidently assert that all these mistakes 
agreed to and participated in by mankind must be 
emphatically, persistently, scientifically denied. 

“ Systematically and repeatedly we say : 

“ 1. There is no life, substance or intelligence in 
matter. 

“ 2. There is no sensation or causation in matter. 

“ 3. There is no reality in matter. 

“ 4. There is no reality in sin, sickness or death. 

“ 5. There is no reality in evil. 

“ 6. There is no reality in mortal thought. 

“ This is denying the self recognized by the world. 
This is the life that must be laid down, that must be 
sacrificed, lost. 

“ Humanity has proven its subjection to these 
errors. Now, by its faithful rejection of them, let it 
prove them lies, for the force of a lie is always annulled 
by rejection. This proves the law referred to by Jesus 
when he made a denial of self the first duty of his 
disciples. 


WHAT IS NOT TRUE. 


“ In denying, it is necessary to say the words over 
and over again ; it may be mechanically at first, but 
say them over, several hours at a time, if possible. 

“ More is accomplished by concentration than any- 
body is aware, and the repetition of the words helps to 
concentrate the thought. First repeat the whole list of 
denials, then select one on which to spend most of the 
time for several days. The denial of matter, for 
instance, makes us more spiritually minded. 

“When denying, try to realize there is no space, 
but that anywhere you send your thought it will go, 
and as you think or say the words, you will be denying 
error for the world as well as for yourself, as every 
thought is world-wide in its influence, and helps to free 
or bind humanity, even as it is truth or error. 

“ To deny is to put out of mind, to erase, as it 
were, the false beliefs. Be earnest, be faithful, and you 
will have an abundant reward. 

“ This, dear John, is the substance of the lecture as 
nearly as I can give it. After Mrs. Pearl had finished 
the lesson, she requested the class to sit in silence a few 
moments and together hold the thought, 4 There is no 
reality in matter ;* after which we were dismissed with 
this benediction : 4 May we realize that God is, that 

spirit is the only reality.’ 

44 The lessons are always opened by silent prayer, 
which I have forgotten to mention before. 

44 Please, dear husband, observe these rules and study 
every assertion as carefully as though you were in the 
class. You, and Grace, and Kate, can accomplish a 
great deal together; but by all means don’t pass 




m tee right knock ; 

judgment till you have carefully examined all the 
evidence. 

“ Tell me all about the children. Such details will 
greatly comfort me, for I must confess that to-night I 
am the least bit homesick. 

“ Good night, 

“ Your loving Marion.” 





i 


CHAPTER XVI. 


“God is commanding us off, every hour of our lives, toward tilings 
eternal, there to find our good, and build our rest. Sometimes 
He does it by taking us out of the world, and sometimes by 
taking the world out of us.”— 11. Bushnell. 



HE second letter has come/’ said Grace the 


moment Kate entered the room, after her day’s 
lessons were over. 

“Has it ? Let us hurry and get the tea over so we 
can study it.” 

“ Don’t you want to hear it first ? I haven’t looked 
at it because I wanted to wait for you, but I can’t wait 
that long,” cried Grace, pulling it out of her painting- 
apron pocket. 

“ All right, then read away while I start the fire.” 

“ Ho ; come and sit down like a good child, you 
can’t half listen when your mind is filled with stoves 
and tea-pots.” 

Kate smiled, and drawing her chair up beside Grace, 
she listened to the reading, while her face alternately 
brightened or darkened. 

“Well, it sounds very beautiful and very plausible, 
but I can’t see how any one can say there is no evil 
when the world is full of it, and to say there is no sin, 
sickness or death ! why, that is blasphemous ! I know 
the Bible won’t corroborate that,” she said, in a horri- 
fied voice, at the conclusion of the letter. 

“ Hold on, we must not be so fast ; there are good 


126 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


reasons for every statement, and she says it is necessary 
to say these denials over and over. It is harder for me 
to believe there is no matter, but; if there is a way to 
prove there is none, then I will submit. But first let 
us see what the Bible says/’ said the more moderate 
Grace. 

She got the Bible and concordance, but could find 
no reference to matter as pertaining to physical crea- 
tion, but she found under the word “ flesh ” an allusion 
to John i : 12-13, and iii : 6. . “ The first reads,” began 
Grace, “‘But as many as received him, to them gave 
he power to become the sons of God, even to them that 
believe on his name, which were born, not of blood, 
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but 
of God.’ That evidently refers to a creation possible 
to all, but where is the authority for saying ‘there is 
no matter’?” 

She pondered a moment, then referred to the letter — 
“ Oh, I see ! She says, ‘no reality in matter,’ and then 
goes on to explain about the real. Yes, now I see. 
Do you understand it, Kate ? ” 

“ I can understand that the body is not the real,” 
replied Kate, thoughtfully, “for Jesus said ‘the spirit 
is all, the flesh profiteth nothing,’ but — ” 

“ That’s so. Why didn’t we think of that before ? 
Besides, it was taught by the ancient philosophers as 
much as 4,000 years ago, that matter has no realit\\ 
Yes, its plain to see how it can be, theoretically, but 
where they can demonstrate it practically, puzzles me. 
Here is a reference; let us see if that will tell us 
something.” 


STUDYING AND PROVING . 


127 


She read Heb. xi : 3 : 44 4 Through faith we under- 

stand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, 
so that things which are seen were not made of things 
which do appear.’ ” 

44 That seems quite conclusive,” said Kate. 

44 Yes, it does. Now we will consider your problem,” 
replied Grace, running her finger down the references, 
44 and see if we can find anything in that. Let us bear in 
mind,” she continued, “she does not say there is no 
appearance, but no reality in evil. Among the first 
references, I find one to the twenty-third Psalm : 4 1 will 
fear no evil, for thou art with me.’ flow plain that is ! 
Of course there can be no evil where God is, and God is 
everywhere. God is Love. In Love there is no evil.” 

44 But just think of the awful crimes that are com- 
mitted every day, and the wicked people who commit 
them,” demurred Kate, with an incredulous look. 

44 We haven’t got far enough to solve everything; 
listen to this : 4 Only with thine eyes shalt thou 

behold and see the reward of the wicked,’ ” read Grace. 

4 ‘ That must mean that with the carnal mind we see 
all things opposite God, and with the mind of the 
spirit we discern spiritual things; that is in Romans 
somewhere,” exclaimed Kate, with a gleam of under- 
standing in her face. 

44 What word shall I look for?” asked Grace, 
intently pursuing her search. 

44 Mind, I think ; shan’t I look for it ?” 

44 No ; here it is in the eighth chapter and tenth verse : 

4 The carnal mind is at enmity against God, for it is 
not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ 


m 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


That is plain enough. It means that all thoughts oppo- 
site God and God’s creations are of the animal man, 
hence at enmity with God, and since there is nothing 
real but God and His creations, of course there is no 
reality in them. How you are satisfied, aren’t you, 
Kate?” 

“ I suppose I ought to be, for I don’t see any other 
way to understand those passages,” she admitted, with 
a sigh of relief. 

“Just one more, and we’ll go on to the next denial, 
which will hit me, I’m afraid,” continued Grace. 

She turned to Isa. xxxiii: 15-16 : 44 I declare, Kate, 
here is the essence of the whole lesson,” and she read : 
“Hie that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly’ 
(according to the true creation), 4 he that despiseth the 
gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hand from hold- 
ing of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of 
blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil ; He shall 
dwell on high ; his place of defence shall be the muni- 
tions of rocks ; bread shall be given him ; his waters 
shall be sure.’ ” 

44 I really did not know there was such a passage 
in the Bible, and I don’t see why other people haven’t 
found it before,” said Kate, quite won over. 44 But 
how strange it seems to deny this way.” 

44 Yes, that is the most unreasonable part of it, and 
yet I think Mrs. Hayden has explained it very clearly. 
How what is next ? ” asked Grace. 

44 There is no life, substance or intelligence in mat- 
ter,” answered Kate, glancing at the letter. 

44 1 must confess that puzzles me,” mused Grace, 
thoughtfully. 


STUDYING AND PROVING. 129 

“ Oh, that is easy enough to understand, when you 
remember the spirit is all, besides, when a person dies 
the organs of the body may be perfect, but there is 
no life or feeling, and according to this new under- 
standing, no substance,” explained Kate, in her turn. 

“ I can see it well enough as a theory, but what all 
this has to do with practical every-day living, is a mys- 
tery to me.” 

“‘We haven’t got far enough to solve everything,’ 
somebody said to me once, and here it is for you,” 
remarked Kate, with a spice of mischief in her tone. 

“All right, what next ?” 

“ No sensation or causation in matter ; but I think 
that is answered the same way as the other. But 
this iast one ; I do wonder if the Bible corroborates 
it ? ” Kate looked troubled again, as she read : “ ‘There 
is no sin, sickness nor death.’ ” 

“The same reasoning applies to that as to all the 
rest. There is no reality to anything but God’s 
creation, and that is changeless and perfect. But we 
will see what the Bible has to say ; I. John iii : 2-10. 
In the second verse it reads : ‘ Beloved, now are we the 
sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall 
be ; ’ that of course is an assertion of our spiritual self. 
Then verse nine says: ‘Whosoever is born of God doth 
not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him and he 
can not sin, because he is born of God.’ Then it seems 
plain there can be no sin to the spirit, neither can there 
be sickness nor death.” 

“ It is wonderful,” murmured Kate. 

“ What is next ? ” pursued Grace, with the concord- 
ance open before her. 


130 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ That is all, except she explains the use and neces- 
sity of denial, and suggests to Mr. Hayden the benefit 
of denying for hours at a time.” 

“ Well, we can do that, too. If it is good for him, 
it must be for us. I mean to do it,” said Grace, shut- 
ting her book with a snap and pacing back and forth 
excitedly. 

“ Oh, well, take it calmly ; we can do that while we 
are getting supper, and I am hungry now. Do you 
know it is seven o’clock? ” Kate exclaimed, looking at 
her watch. 

“ Two hours we have been studying,” said Grace. 
“ Keally, this is as interesting as painting. I don’t see 
one thing but what is reasonable, do you, Kate?” 

“Not the way it seems now.” 

After everything was put away they began making 
earnest application of the rules. Each sat silently 
thinking, according to directions: “ There is no reality 
in matter, there is no reality in matter,” etc. For 
two hours neither spoke. Then Kate said : “ I feel so 
light ; as though there were no weight to my body. 
What does it mean ? ” 

“ I don’t know, unless it shows you are realizing 
what you say.” 

“ That is it. I can feel that there is no obstruction 
to spirit or thought ; that spirit is limitless and God is 
everywhere.” 

She seemed lost in her new thoughts, and went to 
bed as though she were dreaming. Grace had experi- 
enced nothing but a sense of dullness and extreme 
sleepiness. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


“ The soul is not a compensation, but a life . The soul is. Underall 
this sea of circumstance, whose waters ebb and flow with per- 
fect balance, lies the aboriginal abyss of real Being. Existence 
or God is not a relation or a part, but a whole.” — Emerson. 


Marlow, September — . 



jppVEAR HUSBAND : I was made very happy this 


■ 1S£/ morning by the messages from home, and es- 
pecially Fred’s and Jamie’s baby efforts. They wanted 
to send mamma their love, and the straggling char- 
acters meant for words, convey as much meaning as 
though they were in good English, for they speak to 
me in unmistakable language. Why do I understand 
so well? Ah, John, I see. Because, being filled with 
love for them, I recognize the same quality in what 
they feel for me, and only need a sign to read the 
meaning back of it. 

“ As I write, new light comes to me regarding the 
real meaning of sighs and symbols. Until we are 
filled with a desire and love for God, we can not per- 
ceive or understand the real meaning of the universe, 
can not read God’s love for us. Until we have a con- 
scious apprehension that there is a spiritual knowledge, 
we can not recognize spiritual truth. 

“ Oh, I can not help wishing you had been here 
to day ! It was simply grand ; such an uplifting, such 
a glimpse of the wondrous Now. We learned about 


132 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


what is, what we are and how to prove ourselves God’s 
children. Mrs. Pearl opened with a few words on the 
use and necessity of silence, after which we were all 
silent awhile, when she commenced : 

“Garfield said, ‘The world’s history is a divine 
poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto 
and every man a word. Its strains have been pealing 
along down the centuries, and though there have been 
the discords of warring cannon and dying men, yet 
to the Christian, the philosopher, the historian and the 
humble listener, there has been a divine melody run- 
ning through the song, which speaks of hope and 
halcyon days to come.’ 

“What has made possible this divine melody but 
the spirit of love and truth that ever animates the 
children of God? Were it not for this vein, nay this 
wholeness of the invisible spirit, what could we have on 
which to found hopes of ‘halcyon days?’ 

“ Not from the visible man of flesh and blood do 
all things beautiful and true emanate, nor from the 
material and unstable, but from the one source that is 
God, as apprehended and realized by His idea, the real, 
invisible, spiritual man. Beauty, worth, can only be in 
idea or understanding. 

“What made Milton, Shakespeare, Emerson, truly 
great was their appropriation and manifestation of the 
invisible inheritance of spirit, mind. 

“What is man without intelligence, without love, 
without life, without truth ? The real man is spiritual 
because he is the idea of Spirit, Mind, God, the only 
Creator. All that is grand, noble, true in an individual 


WHAT IS TRUE. 


133 


is a manifestation of the God-power and presence. 
There is but one real Mind, and all real or positive 
thought or intelligence is the manifestation of Mind, 
which is God. There is but one real Intelligence, and 
the intelligence manifested by the individual is the In- 
telligence which is God. 

“ God is absolutely one Verity, the primordial 
Essence. But how shall we know this as a fact ? How 
shall we prove it as an incontrovertible truth ? you ask. 

“ By persistent acknowledgement of God and His 
creation, we become one with Him, and to be one with 
God is to know absolute Truth. We are conditioned 
by the thoughts we think and by the words we speak. 
By thinking and speaking right words we manifest 
true conditions; by thinking and speaking wrong words 
we manifest false conditions. ‘Asa man tliinketh in 
his heart so is he.’ If we desire to manifest strength, 
justice or wisdom of God, we must ‘acknowledge God 
in all our ways.’ 

“‘The only salvation,’ says George MacDonald, 
‘ is being filled with the spirit of God, having the same 
mind as Christ.’ 

“ In order to realize the essence of these words, in 
order to realize the essence of any truth, we must enter 
into its meaning by becoming one with it, by making 
ourselves the expression of its harmony, the picture of 
its idea. 

“ Knowing the potency of the word, we say the 
true words over and over again, silently or audibly ? 
we think of them in every possible way, with varied 
expression if we will, as it is the thought, the prime 
idea that we are seeking to manifest. 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


134 


“We want the true salvation ; ‘ we want to be filled 
with the spirit;’ we want the truth that makes free ; we 
want strength, justice, wisdom. To secure these we 
have only to rid ourselves of the false and be filled with 
the true. 

“ By the positive denial of a lie we annul the lie ; 
by the positive affirmation of truth we establish truth, 
or rather our consciousness of truth is established ; thus, 
as we deny error or affirm truth, are we carried for- 
ward and upward. These are the k ' wonderful words of 
life’ that clothe us with righteousness. 

“ The words that we use first are statements of 
fundamental Truth, acknowledging who and what God 
is, what we are, and in what relation we stand to our 
Father. 

“ 1. God is Life, Truth, Love, Substance. 

“ 2. God is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipo- 
tent. 

“ 3. I am the idea of God, and in Him I have my 
being. 

“ 4. God is my sufficiency in all work and my will 
in all ways. 

“ 5. I am subject to God’s law and can not sin, suffer 
or die. 

“Over and over again we speak the words, and 
by marvelous law new meanings flash upon us, new 
thoughts are born, new interpretations come to efface 
the more obscure ones of the past. It may be easier to 
fellow every denial with its corresponding affirmation; 
if so, study the lesson that way. 

“ Hold to each affirmation till it yields its pearl. 


WHAT IS TRUE. 


135 


Take the first , 4 God is Life say the words over and 
over, think of them in every conceivable way. Make 
every tiny leaf and slender blade of grass tell you some- 
thing of the infinite Life. Bear in mind that every 
where life is manifested, whether in plant, animal or 
man, wherever we look there is omnipresent Life. 

“ God is Life. This same Life is onr life, which can 
not be taken away from us. This Life is good, and in 
It we live even as God lives in us. Oh, wondrous life 
that flows on and on, without beginning, without end, 
even as the river sings : ‘ Men may come and men may 
go, but I go on forever.’ 

“ God is Truth, all truth, wheresoever or by whom- 
soever recognized, is the everlasting Truth that must 
forever be. 

“ There is not a community or church, not a society 
or family, but is organized and held together by some 
phase of the all-embracing and perfect Truth. The 
different sects and parties are only different because 
certain people see the same side of Truth, and preferring 
to be of one mind, they separate or unite and build 
their respective sanctuaries. 

“ 4 Truth is always present, and we only need to lift 
the iron lids of the mind’s eye to read its oracles,’ said 
Emerson. When the 4 iron lids ’ are lifted we shall 
see as one, we shall belong to the Church of the uni- 
verse and the oracle shall reveal to us its deepest secrets 
and most sacred mysteries. 

Truth is. All that we have, can have, or will have 
or can conceive of, exists in the ever present Here and 
How. It only remains for us to recognize and acknowl- 
edge it. 


136 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ God is Love. To realize the mighty sea of om- 
nipotent Love that enfolds and blesses humanity, would 
be to plunge into the healing waters of Bethesda. Like 
the sick man, we wait until the majestic Christ com- 
mands us to arise — help ourselves, instead of waiting 
for others to put us into the cleansing current. Let us 
recognize, then, the allness, the tenderness, the sacred- 
ness of this divine Love by submerging ourselves in it, 
until all thoughts of evil, suffering or hatred are lost 
in its embrace. 

u ‘ Lift up the gates that the king of glory may enter 
in,’ sang David, and we too cry aloud with earnest 
aspiration that the gates shall be lifted away, that into 
our consciousness may come the high tide of omni- 
present Love. 4 Love alone is wisdom, love alone is 
power, and when love seems to fail it is where self has 
stepped in and dulled the potency of its rays. 5 

“ God is our substance. True substance alone is 
reliable. God is our rod and our staff. Firmly rely- 
ing on the Bock of substance which is God, we can not 
be shaken, can not be destroyed. Though all seeming 
powers totter and fall around us, the One is ever the 
same, indivisible, unchangeable I Am. When we are 
one with the eternal Substance, weakness, danger, 
failure shrink into cowering nothingness. 

“ Study to know, and know to live, should be our 
motto. Deny all error and affirm all Truth is the way 
to appropriate whatsoever we desire to manifest. 
Deny weakness and affirm strength, deny discord and 
affirm harmony, deny sickness and affirm health. 
Why ? Because we erase the false beliefs of weakness. 


WHAT IS TRUE. 


137 


discord, sickness, by the denial, and appropriate 
strength, harmony, wholeness by affirmation. 

“ Can the spiritual self be ignorant, weak, sick or 
sinful \ we argue. Impossible, for God is our suffi- 
ciency, is all there is. We refuse to admit any belief of 
dullness and ignorance, but gratefully acknowledge 
our likeness to God our Wisdom. We refuse to enter- 
tain anything contrary to the Good, but fellowship 
only with God-like qualities. They are ours by right 
of inheritance. We gladly claim them and prove our 
claim by our manifestation. 

M Cleansing our consciousness from false concep- 
tions, what wondrous power may we not reflect ! Our 
sufficiency is of God, not of ourselves, and to Him we 
ascribe all honor and glory. 

“ The Master taught the divineness of yielding our 
will wholly to God, ‘ Hot my will but thine be done,’ 
He prayed. This is the highest conception of the 
denial of self. The mortal self is to be set aside, our 
immortal consciousness awakened into oneness with 
the Father. 

“ MacDonald has beautifully said, ‘ Oneness with 
the mighty All is the one end of life — God or chaos 
is the only alternative.’ We say God works through 
man to will and to do, and implicitly trust the divine 
Intelligence that guides every waiting child. 

“We choose the Good and reverently await our 
leadings. In every stormy trial, in every doubtful 
moment, in every hard-pressed circumstance we stand 
aside and let the divine will work through us. There 
can be no mistaking this standing aside. It is not to 


138 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


sit down idly with no thought of responsibility or 
effort, but it is to do the best we can so far as we know, 
constantly awaiting more knowledge of God’s will and 
more strength to do. 

“ When the will of man is at one with the will of 
God, when man realizes his mortal nothingness and 
the allness of God, there is divine and perfect healing. 
The poet was right when he wrote, 

* Our wills are ours we know not how, 

Our wills are ours to make them Thine.’ 

‘“I am subject to the law of God and can not sin, 
suffer nor die.’ The real I is governed by spirit, as an 
idea is governed by the mind that thinks it. The 
real creation, being spiritual, can not be subject to 
mortal beliefs or ‘carnal mind which is at enmity with 
God.’ With spirit there can be no sin, sickness nor 
death, for these are enemies to be overcome by the Son 
of God, the Christ within. ‘Thou wilt keep him in 
perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.’ ‘ The last 
enemy (belief) to be overcome is death.’ 

“ Until we persistently refuse to judge according to 
appearances, and acknowledge the true and invisible, 
we will continue in our old code of beliefs and be at 
the mercy of the consequences. 

“ When we recognize the Christ or God principle 
within, we are then truly the sons and daughters of 
God. Christian Science gives a logical and to some, a 
new meaning to the term Christ. Christ means Truth 
and Truth means God. ‘In the beginning was the 
Word and the Word was with God and the Word was 
God, and the Word was made manifest in the 
flesh, or the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.’ 


WHAT IS TRUE. 


139 


“ ‘ Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is 
truth.’ Jesus said of Himself, ‘I am the way, the truth 
and the life.’ But He did not speak this of His physical 
body, He referred to the spirit or Christ within, which 
was one with the Father, that was and is, literally the 
way, the truth and the life. If you will substitute 
Truth for Christ any place in the Bible, with this under- 
standing, you will be able to read and apprehend as 
never before. In this line of thought read the thirty- 
fifth chapter of Isaiah, the title of which is ‘The joyful 
flourishing of Christ’s (Truth’s) kingdom.’ With this 
understanding, we so much more clearly see what Paul 
meant when he said such things as ‘ Your life is hid 
with Christ in God,’ ‘ Christ in you, the hope of glory,’ 
‘Until Christ be formed in you,’ and many other 
similar expressions. In the eighth chapter of Bomans, 
especially the first verse, it is much clearer by reading 
with this new spiritual signification. ‘There is, there- 
fore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ 
Jesus (Truth), who w r alk not after the flesh but after 
the spirit.’ Who could ever believe the physical Jesus 
was meant? Ho: Christ was exactly what the first 
chapter of John says He was, the Word (or Truth) 
made manifest in the flesh, and the name of the flesh 
w r as Jesus. 

“Jesus Christ means Jesus, the manifestation of 
Truth, and this explains many hitherto obscure passages, 
which are exceedingly hard to understand, when the 
flesh and spirit are regarded as one. 

“ What vast possibilities unfold to the human being 
persistent in his search for truth! What a glorious 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


UO 

realm of knowledge, what wonderful power, what bliss- 
ful peace, for he will have ‘ put on the new man, which 
is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that 
creates him/ He will have attained the clear vision of 
liberty, for he will no longer be bound to the 4 letter 
that killeth ’ but be filled with the 6 spirit that giveth 
life.’ 

“ The silence at the close seemed like a baptism of 
peace. To me came the realization of the intimate 
relationship of God’s children to their Father, whose 
love ever comes as a benediction to those who will or 
can, recognize and appropriate it. 

“ With love to you all, 1 am, 

“Your Marion. 

“ P. S. I take great pains to have the quotations 
accurate, and fortunately I have made the acquaintance 
of the shorthand reporter in the class who sits next to 
me ; she takes notes and as a special favor, reads the 
quotations for me after the class is dismissed. 

“ Once more, good-bye. M.” 



CHAPTER XVIII. 


“ Got but the truth once uttered, and ’tis like 
A star new-born that drops into its place, 

And which, once circling in its placid round, 

Not all the tumult of the earth can shake/’ — Lowell. 

M OW are you getting on in your study of Chris- 
tian Science ? ” asked Mr. Hayden, meeting Kate 
as he was going home, and handing her the letter. 

“ It is getting plainer, but Grace seems to catch the 
reason of things much more readily than I. In fact, I 
am afraid I should have given up in disgust had not 
she helped me oat, for some of the statements seemed 
so unreasonable.” 

“ They are rather inconsistent in some respects, I 
must admit ; but if /we will only be patient, and not 
allow prejudice to color our judgment, everything will 
straighten out,” replied Mr. Hayden, smiling. “ You 
notice Marion is careful to warn me not to judge 
hastily. She knows how I am in religious matters, 
always insisting on the one interpretation. But I am 
growing some, I hope, so I trust my judgment is 
broad enough to make a fair and impartial investi- 
gation.” 

u Do you follow directions about denying? ” Kate 
asked, as they walked along. 

“I am trying to, but of course my days are busy, 
and evenings somewhat taken up with the children. 
Still, I deny matter as being inert, having absolutely 
m 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


no power of itself, except what is delegated to it by 
the senses. I know it has no life, intelligence or causa- 
tion of itself, but only as man in his ignorance allows 
it to have. This has been held by wise men of all 
ages. I have an idea Christian Science will help me in 
business as well as socially and religiously.” 

“I am glad to hear that,” said Kate; “ though I 
must confess at first I was very much afraid to look 
into this; but last night I had a very clear assurance 
that there is something in it. Grace and I denied a 
long time, and I had a most peculiar experience. Such 
a strange, exalted feeling, as if there were no weight 
about me, and it was very clear that there is no reality 
in matter.” 

“ Remarkable ! ” murmured Mr. Hayden. “ Suppose 
you come down Sunday and we’ll compare notes,” he 
suggested, as he turned the corner toward home. 

“We will,” she promised, and went on with a hur- 
ried step, anxious to read the letter, for she was now 
as interested as Grace. When she arrived at their rooms 
she found her friend had gone out, so she went about 
the domestic duties, resolving to have everything ready 
when Grace returned. 

“Isn’t that a beautiful lesson?” exclaimed Grace, 
when they finally sat down to study, later in the even- 
ing. 

“ Perfectly grand ; but I want the Bible corrobora- 
tion^ though I am not afraid it is not there this time.” 

“ Of course everything that proves the theory helps 
to establish the consequent facts, and I suspect all 
things prove it when we understand it. Well, here is 


IT MUST BE SO. 


US 

the first statement about God that is about the same as 
in the first lesson,” said Grace. “Lookup the refer- 
ences to life.” 

“ Here is one in Psalm xxvii : 1. 4 The Lord is my 
life and my salvation, whom shall I fear V ” read Kate ; 
44 and here is another in Acts xvii : 25 : 4 God givetli to 
all life, and breath, and all things.’ ” 

44 That is good ; see if you can find another,” said 
Grace. 

“Here is one, but I hardly understand it — John xi : 
25, 26. 4 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and 

the life ; he that belie veth on me, though he were dead, 
yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth 
in me shall never die.’ What can that mean, Grace?” 

44 Wait a moment,” said Grace, silently pondering. 
Then she looked again at the letter. 44 Why, of course ! 
How could we forget so easily ? I had it just a moment 
ago. Jesus never referred to his flesh and blood when 
he spoke of himself as life, resurrection, truth, bread, 
but always meant the Spirit of God that was manifest 
in him, and the Spirit of God which is the Christ, is 
Truth, and whosoever believes or apprehends Truth, 
shall be whole and live.” 

44 But it says, 4 shall never die,’” interrupted Kate, 
still unsatisfied. 

44 1 don’t know, then, unless it means 4 the Spirit is 
all/ Find another passage.” 

Kate read John vi: 51-64, and then added, anx- 
iously, “ it seems to grow more mysterious all the 
time.” 

“Never mind, let us be patient. Head the fifty-first 
and sixty-third verses again.” 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


m 


Kate read, “ 6 1 am the living bread which came 
down from heaven, if any man eat of this bread, he 
shall live forever ; and the bread that I will give is my 
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. . 

It is the spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh profiteth noth- 
ing, the words that I speak unto you they are spirit 
and they are life.’ ” 

“That last clause is the key to all, 5 ’ exclaimed 
Grace, eagerly. “He was the Word, idea made man- 
ifest in the flesh. Flesh was a symbol of Word, and he 
said they were to eat his flesh, which meant they were 
to eat his word. How let us look up Word, since so 
much hinges upon that.” 

Rapidly turning over the leaves, Kate read again, 
John xv : 7 : “ £ If ye abide in me and my words abide 
in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done 
unto you.’ ” 

“There we have it. Christ, we must remember, 
means Truth. If we abide in the Truth and the words 
of Truth abide in us, that is, in order to eat the flesh 
and drink the blood of Christ, we are to abide in the 
spirit and speak the words of Truth. Oh, how beau- 
tiful!” 

“ Yes, it is. Here is another passage, Col. iii : 3, 4 : 

4 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in 
God. . . . When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, 
then shall ye also appear with him in glory.’ Even I, 
can see that,” cried the delighted Kate, “and I remem- 
ber a verse in Ephesians, iv : 18, that will make it still 
plainer. Here it is : 4 Having the understanding dark- 
ened, being alienated from the life of God through the 


IT MUST BE SO. 


lJf5 


ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of 
their heart ’ (mind). Ignorance is the opposite of truth, 
and one who is ignorant of truth is subject to the car- 
nal mind which leads to death. When we know truth, 
we know the opposite of death, which is life, so when 
Christ the Truth, which is life, shall appear, we shall be 
glorified with the knowledge of eternal life, and just 
as far as we realize truth we manifest it, do we not ? ” 
She appealed to Grace, as if the thought were too good 
to be true, and must needs be confirmed before she 
could believe it. 

“ Manifest it ? Why yes ; I suppose so ; that means 
in the body,” answered Grace, thinking deeply; “ mani- 
fest truth in the body. Of course,” she continued, 
“ we will show forth a more perfect body in proportion 
as we acknowledge and realize more perfect thought. 
How strangely we lose our premise ! If this could not 
be reasoned out so clearly, I should get all tangled up ; 
as it is, I don’t keep out of snarls.” 

“Just think of poor me who seem to have no rea- 
soning faculty at all in these matters. What should 
I have done without you to help me out ? ” queried 
Kate. 

Grace smiled as she replied : “In one sense you will 
get on faster than I, for you can get it spiritually or 
intuitively, while I get it only intellectually, and the 
intuition flies where reason walks. You had a percep- 
tion of the unreality of matter last night and I had 
nothing at all but stupidity and sleepiness. But let us 
go on. I am more deeply interested than I can tell, 
and the Bible is a new book to me. I never dreamed 


1EE RIGHT KNOCK. 


U6 

there were such treasures of truth in it. Ko matter 
where I read in the Bible before, I could not understand, 
and then I stopped trying, but it is very different now.” 

“What is the next point in the lesson?” asked 
Kate, taking up the Bible again. 

“ I am the child of God. Look for child.” 

“ Yes, in Rom. viii : 16, 17 : 6 The spirit itself beareth 
witness with our spirit, that we are children of God : 
and if children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint heirs 
of Christ ; if so be that we suffer with him.’ ” 

“ That means,” said Grace, “ we prove ourselves heirs 
if we suffer with him, mortify the flesh, lay down the life 
of appetites and passions and talk continually of spir- 
itual things; in short, live the life that Jesus did.” 

“ Here in Gal. iv: 1: ‘ The heir, as long as he is a 

child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he is 
lord of all,’ ” read Kate. 

“While he has a child’s ignorance of his inherit- 
ance, of course he could not enjoy its possession, 
and the longer he remains ignorant, the longer will 
he have the station of a servant,” explained Grace, 
readily. 

“ But there is a seeming conflict in the two pas- 
sages. The first says the spirit itself tells us we are 
children and heirs, and the second says, as long as he 
is a child, even though an heir, he is nothing but a ser- 
vant,” said Kate, in perplexity again. 

“ But isn’t there a place in the Testament some- 
where about being born again?” inquired Grace. 

“Yes, replied Kate, wondering what that could 
have to do with it. Yes, that is where Nicodemus 
went to Jesus by night — ” 


IT MUST BE SO. 


W 


u Find it,” interrupted Grace, who was determined 
to be thorough in this study at least. 

ts J ohn, iii: 3-7, reads: 4 Except a man be born again, 
he can not see the kingdom of God. . . . That 

which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born 
of spirit is spirit.’ ” 

44 Well ! ” said Kate, as she finished. 

“ Didn’t we learn that the words are spirit and life, 
and does it not mean we are born into the spiritual 
knowledge by abiding in the words of truth ? ” reasoned 
Grace. 

“ Why, that is it, I do believe, and one of the last 
verses of the third chapter of Galatians says, ‘ for ye 
are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.’ ” 

44 By faith in the Truth,” amended Grace, for the 
sake of the clearer meaning. 

“ What a stupid I am ! ” cried Kate. A moment 
later she said thoughtfully, 44 there is a text in the first 
chapter of James which reads : 4 Of his own will begat 
he us with the word of truth, that we might be a kind 
of first fruits of his creatures.’ My youthful Sun- 
day school training is not quite in vain,” she added, 
meekly. 

44 It would not take us so long if we knew the Bible 
as some people do, provided we want to take that as 
sole authority,” remarked Grace, referring to the letter 
again. 

44 1 don’t know about the advantage of knowing the 
passages unless you can interpret them, and that is 
certainly essential to the understanding,” replied Kate, 
thoughtfully, as she drew her hand slowly over the 
open page. 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


14S 


“ Mrs. Hayden refers to the liberty brought by the 
spirit. Suppose you look up a reference to liberty,” 
suggested Grace. 

“Yes,” said Kate, a moment later, “ here in verses 
IT and 18 of II. Cor., third chapter, it reads, ‘ Now the 
Lord is that spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, 
there is liberty. . . . But we all, beholding as in a 

glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same 
image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the 
Lord.’ ” 

“ Why, Grace,” exclaimed Kate, shutting the book 
in her eagerness, “I see it all now. By denial 
we take away falsities that bar us from looking into 
the face of God (Good), and by the affirmation we 
acknowledge Him, which is turning an open face to 
Him and reflecting His glory. Isn’t that the way you 
understand it ? ” 

Kate’s face was all aglow with enthusiasm. A new 
light had come to her, and she was lifted to a higher 
plane, both in conception and feeling. 

“ That is a beautiful interpretation, but I don’t want 
to stop to think about it now,” said Grace, with a 
yawn, betraying fatigue for the first time. 

“ Why, Grace, a little while ago you said you were 
‘ so interested.’ What has come over you ? ” was 
Kate’s rather discomfited answer. 

“Oh, nothing, nothing!” rejoined Grace hastily, 
“only you know one can be surfeited with good things, 
but never mind. I shall not stop till we get through 
with this looking up, and then I must have a good 
long think.” She playfully chucked Kate under her 


IT MUST BE SO. 


149 

chin, and asked her “ to go on/’ but the searching was 
not so spontaneous as before, and in the spontaneity 
of study lies the acquisition of knowledge. 

Grace, it must be confessed, was compelling herself 
to a thorough intellectual investigation which, till 
now, had been a novel pleasure, but was getting a little 
monotonous, although she w x as deeply interested and 
more pleased with the Bible readings than she would 
have thought possible, because, as she had said herself, 
the Bible has been a sealed book to her before. She 
was very careful to conceal this new feeling from Kate, 
for at least, she would not Jay one obstacle in her path, 
and after a few moments’ desultory conversation, they 
went on as before. 

“ The next affirmation is about the will, what can 
you find for that ? ” asked Grace, as they had resumed 
their study again. 

“I have found it already,” replied Kate, with her 
finger on the passage. “ I 11 Phil, ii : 13 : ‘For it is 
God who worketh in you both to will and to do of 
his good pleasure.’ That subordination to the will of 
God runs all through the New Testament.” 

“ Here is the last one,” resumed Grace, referring to 
the letter again. “ I am subject to God’s law and 
can not sin, suffer or die,” she read. 

“ Oh, that does not sound right ; I do not see how 
it can be right to say such things,” interposed Kate, 
darkening again. 

She looked up a reference to sin and turned to the 
sixth chapter of Romans. “ I don’t see very clearly 
yet,” she faltered, after she had finished the chapter. 


150 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Yes, in the 16 th verse is the key to it all,” said 
Grace, looking over the page with her. u The idea is, 
if we admit sin or talk about it, we are committing 
sin, for it is wrong to do either.” 

“I understand a little better now, but it is not an 
easy matter to be so good,” sighed Kate. 

“ But we are given these rules in order to know how 
to be good. Let us sib as we did last night, and say 
these affirmations,” suggested Grace, determined to do 
her duty, for Kate’s sake at least. 

Diligence and faithfulness never fail to bring forth 
fruit, and they were laboring hard, both with soil and 
seed. 



CHAPTER XIX. 


“Each of us is a distinct flower or tree in the spiritual garden of 
God, — precious each for its own sake in the eyes of Him who 
is even now making us, — each of us watered and shone upon 
and filled with life for the sake of His flower, His completed 
being; which will blossom out of Him at last to the glory and 
pleasure of the great Gardener. For each has within him a 
secret of Divinity; each is growingtoward the revelation of that 
secret to himself, and so to the full reception, according to his 
measure of the Divine.”— George MacDonald. 

“Maklow, September . 

E \EAR HUSBAND : Your letter seemed the only 
' bright spot in my yesterday's experience, for, 
strange as it may seem, I awoke with the same old 
headache and pain in my limb, and felt so dull and 
stupid, that I was almost doubtful whether I had ever 
known anything. In vain I tried to treat myself, but 
the more I tried the more perplexed I became, until 
about noon, when I began to feel better, though the 
whole day was a novel and rather disagreeable experi- 
ence. "When I went into class to-day, from nearly 
every quarter was heard a similar story of how the day 
of rest had been passed. 

“ It was more and more astonishing. Dr. Bright had 
hardly recovered from her sick headache ; Mrs. Dawn 
was still feeling stupid ; two ladies were not able to 
attend class; Dr. Johnson and Dr. Lorimer actually 
looked angry, and the two ministers in the class were 
gravely discussing the knotty points and knitting their 

151 


152 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


clerical brows over ‘doubtful explanations’ as they 
called them, while a perplexed and troubled air seemed 
to settle on everybody. But there are a few old 
students in the class, and they looked at us with a 
knowing smile, saying : 4 This is onty chemicalization ; 

you will be all the brighter after you get over it.’ 

“ They did not explain further, but I knew some- 
thing about it from the experience we have had, but 
had never thought of it in that light. 4 It is a comfort 
to know there is some prospect of an end to our dark- 
ness anyway,’ said Mrs. Dawn, with a long-drawn breath 
of relief, voicing the sentiments of all. 

“ The kind and gracious look Mrs. Pearl gave us as 
she came in, sent a wave of peace and satisfaction over 
me, for I felt that she understood the situation and 
would lift the curtains and let in the light. 

“ After the usual silence, which seemed longer than 
before, Mrs. Pearl began in a calm clear voice : 

“We have come now to a point where it seems 
necessary to explain the process of growth, and the 
phenomenal changes which take place at certain stages 
of our development, whether known or unknown to 
the individual. 

“ Hitherto we have recognized material ideas, ob- 
jects and processes. We have looked upon our physical 
being as the indisputable creation subject to all changes, 
circumstances or conditions. Having experienced a 
material birth, we conceive of no other as being either 
possible or necessary, and like Nicodemus we go in the 
night of our ignorance to ask the divine Teacher, Truth, 
questions concerning spiritual things, only to be told 


THE SPIRITUAL BIRTH 


153 


we must be born from above if we would know the 
things of the spirit. ‘That which is born of flesh is 
flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit.’ 

“We are covered with the cold, hard shell of mate- 
rial beliefs, which must be broken and castaway before 
the sweet and tender germ of spirit can spring up. We 
are born like the flowers, and blossom like them. ‘Con- 
sider the lilies of the field, how they growl 

“Seed typifies the desire for truth planted in the 
conscious and unconscious being. The more constantly 
and persistently we hold the desire, the more rapid and 
perfect will be the development that produces the 
fruit. The hard little kernel must first lie in the dark 
earth, while hidden forces make it swell and sprout until 
the outer shell dies and falls away, leaving the pure 
white germ to push its way up and up through the cold 
dreary earth. At this period it is very delicate and 
tender, and yet it must pass through a trying stage, for 
when the white spire just peeps above the ground it 
has to encounter elements that at first seem bent upon 
its destruction. 

“Will the sun’s rays now prove too hot for 
it ? Will the winds be too rough and stormy ? Will 
the cold air bite, or the storm beat and bruise it unto 
death ? Pointing ever skyward, does it stop to shiver 
at the prospect of dark and cold and heat, or windy 
violence ? 

“ Let us see. Bravely the young shoot goes its way. 
As soon as it sees the light it displays new beauty, and 
the reflected glory clothes it in a brighter robe — the 
fresh, dainty green of spring’s supernal dress, emblem 


TUB RIGHT KNOCK. 


1H 

of everlasting youth. But a storm of wind and rain 
assails it. Dense cloud-curtains hide the sun, and the 
air is cold and chilling. Sometimes for days this 
benumbing coldness lasts. But after the storm our lit- 
tle friend is greener and brighter and larger than ever. 
It has withstood the storm and wind, by using them 
for its own advancement. Everything has been turned 
into good by recognizing only the good. 

“ When the sunshine comes again the little slip is 
baptized with dew and warmth and light, and joyously 
springs on toward budding time, and then another 
and different experience befalls. Instead of rolling 
every new leaf outward to be bathed in the light and 
kissed by the wind, there is a rolling inward, a curling 
up and shutting in of the new and delicate leaves. A 
hard, unlovely roll or lump now displays itself on the 
green stem, and every day the roll becomes larger and 
harder. The green stalk never questions, though for a 
time her face is veiled. She lives in the waiting 
silence, content with what is. One bright day she 
looks at her ugly bud and finds it a rare blossom of 
surpassing beauty and sweetest fragrance. Thus is 
born the fair-robed lily, pure emblem of the child of 
God. 

“ But we have many and various symbols of divine 
thought in the many and various flowers, from which 
we learn divine lessons. There are the violets that 
come so early in the spring, with their wild wood fra- 
grance and dainty blue cloaks, and the lovely roses of 
summer, the goldenrods and asters of autumn, while 
among the rarer kinds we have the night-blooming 


TEE SPIRITUAL BIRTE. 


155 


cereus, the beautiful but slow blossoming century 
plant, and many others. These are types and symbols 
of ourselves and our process of birth and unfoldment. 

“ The new birth is a development from material to 
spiritual knowledge. The individual corresponds to 
one or another plant, but none may know at what par- 
ticular stage. 

“ Some blossom early, some late, some manifest a 
nature like the violet, others the rose, the water lily or 
the century plant. I can not tell, you can not tell, 
none can tell. Even the Master said, ‘The wind 
bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound 
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither 
it goeth, so is every one that is born of the spirit.’ 

“ The wonderful seed (desire for truth) we have 
planted must be moistened by the water of rig'ht words, 
warmed by the sunshine of faith, fed by the dew of 
patience. 

“Our trials will be similar in character to the 
flowers, and the outcome will be the same in proportion 
as we follow their example of unquestioning faithful- 
ness. 

“ The very desire to grow is a challenge to the ele- 
ments that seem to oppose growth, but the plant over 
comes 'all obstacles by its non-resistance, and herein 
lies one of our most valuable lessons. 

“In our progress we meet with many conditions 
and circumstances that try us, that seem indeed to call 
in question our earnestness in thus starting out, with 
new assumptions. Sometimes these adverse conditions 
are called trials of faith and they may come to us in 


156 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


one way or another, sometimes in sickness, sometimes 
in misunderstandings, sometimes in grief, sometimes in 
disagreeable duties. 

“ Peculiarities of disposition that we thought over- 
come, may manifest themselves very unexpectedly and 
cause us great annoyance, not only because we may 
have congratulated ourselves on having risen above 
them, but because it would be a mortification to us to 
have our friends know that we who believe in the pos- 
sibility of such high moral attainments, should be guilty 
of these old weaknesses and follies. In every way, 
the tempter — mortal thought — may show us the falli- 
bility of human nature and tempt us to disbelieve in 
our high ideals. 

“ The forty days’ temptation in the wilderness is 
the soul history of every human being who starts out 
to lead the life of Jesus. Tempted in everything 
as we are, he was the type of strength, purity and 
faithfulness to principles, which we most earnestly 
should seek to follow. After his baptism, ‘ He was 
conducted by the spirit into the desert to be tempted 
by the enemy.’ 

“We are baptized by the spirit when we have come 
into the realization of our sonship and daughtership, 
our true relation to the divine Father and Mother Love, 
and have consecrated our lives to the service of Truth. 
In order that we may be fully aware of the magni- 
tude of our desire, we ar.e, as it were, led by the spirit 
to the desert which literally signifies forsaken, where 
every means of comfort and companionship are gone, 
where we must learn to choose between the ever pres- 


THE SPIRITUAL BIRTH. 


157 


ent but invisible things of God and the transitory but 
gratifying pleasures of the visible world. Having a 

f limpse of the power and blessedness conferred by the 
nowledge of Truth, we are tempted to keep hold 
of the power, at the same time fellow shipping with the 
world, which by our recognition and fellowship will 
be greatly pleased through the acquisition of our 
society and talents. 

“ When tests are required of us similar to the turn- 
ing of stones into bread, healing the lepers, raising 
the dead, will we realize our dependence on the word 
of God which is the ‘bread of life?’ Temptations to 
dare the protection of the power, give us an insight to 
the very same trial of Jesus, and when we are led up to 
the mountain of knowledge from which we may view 
the pomps and vanities of the w T orld, realizing the 
superior insight that gives power, then comes the 
decisive question — shall God or mammon gain our 
allegiance? Shall we forego the seductive allure- 
ments of mortal thought (which is really only the 
negative thought or the false power called the world’s 
beliefs reflected upon us), or shall we, in ringing tones 
cry out, ‘ Get thee behind me, adversary (or opposer). 
Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only 
shalt thou serve.’ Then the enemy leaves us, and 
behold, angels come and minister to us.’ 

“ After the long forty days, which with some seem 
longer than with others, after the darkness and deso- 
lation of a desert night, we are ministered unto by the 
blessed angels — good thoughts — and the glory of the 
Most High shines round about us. The struggle is 


158 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


ended, the Good which is ever ready to be our guide 
when we choose, leads us into many sweet experiences 
that bring us nearer and nearer to the ‘ promised land,’ 
the true inheritance of God’s children. We begin the 
ascent of the mount of transfiguration, and though we 
come to many steep places, though we sometimes 
stumble over rocks of ignorance, though we encounter 
clouds of doubt that veil the glorious peak from our 
longing view for a time, though w r e meet wild beasts, 
(untamed human nature), though we cross shadowy 
valleys and dark ravines, lighted only by the torch of 
faith, we shall have transcendant glimpses of the fair 
Beyond, shall breathe the perfumed air of Zion’s Hills, 
and be transported with delight at the never ceasing 
revelations made to the true seeker after eternal wis- 
dom. 

“ After faith, comes knowledge. If we were over- 
come by the tidal wave, when wading out a little way 
from shore, and a rope were thrown us, we should at 
least catch hold the rope, hoping to be delivered from 
the danger. After several successful experiences, we 
should have faith in the rope, so when we feel the 
tidal wave of trial overtaking us, we are to catch hold 
of our denials and affirmations which correspond to 
the saving rope. An invariable rule in Christian 
Science is to deny the undesirable and affirm that 
which can be predicated of spirit. No 7natter what 
inharmony assails you, whether it be pain, poverty, 
sickness, loneliness, fear or anxiety, deny it positively 
and repeatedly and affirm the opposite. Like Jesus, 
we must speak of that which is true, but not visible. 


THE SPIRITUAL BIRTH . 


159 


Thus when called to raise the daughter of Jairus, he 
said : 4 She is not dead but sleepeth.’ The appear- 
ance of death was denied, and its opposite, life, 
affirmed. 

44 When talking to the Jews, Jesus said : 4 If ye 
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 
and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make 
you free.’ It is continuance in the word that brings 
the blessing, mark that. 

44 And now let us enter into the silence with one 
accord, saying : 4 For Tliy blessed words and example 

we thank Thee, O, beloved Master, and with Thy 
' words we enter now into Thy faith.’ 

44 An impressive ten minutes, and then, with rev- 
erent voice and gesture, Mrs. Pearl dismissed us with 
the words: 4 It is finished. We have received that 
which we asked, and are filled with the peace that 
passeth all understanding. ’ 

44 Whilewesat thus, just before she spoke, I had 
one of those peculiar experiences they tell about, coming 
so often in the silence. It seemed as though I was in 
the cool quiet of early morning, watching the signs of 
a summer dawn. All at once the creeping rainbow 
colors shot up toward the zenith, and the most glorious 
sunrise I ever beheld flooded me with a dazzling glow 
of gold. The moment she spoke it vanished, but oh, 
how lovely it was! What could it mean unless the 
dawn of the 4 Sun of Righteousness V I must wait 
and see, for surely the understanding of these things 
will come when I am ready for it. 

44 Several of the class have been having strange signs 


160 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


or hints of something on which they have been studying 
deeply. Dr. Bright said that everything turned black 
before her one day when she was denying, and when 
she could see again it seemed as though there were no 
walls to the house and she was gazing into empty 
space. This is on account of denying till material 
things seem immaterial, and we begin to realize the 
reality of spirit. 

“ The saying of the affirmation for strength, Mrs. 
Dawn says, makes her body feel almost electrified with 
vitality, and she can realize that the words bring to her 
what they claim. • 

“ One young man, who sits just back of me, told his 
experience in denying the reality of matter. He was 
quite rebellious at first about saying what seemed such 
a huge lie, but finally concluded to do the best he 
could, and so said it over and over one day till he fell 
asleep. Suddenly he was awakened by the words 
sounding in his ears, ‘Be not afraid, but trust , 5 and 
opening his eyes, he saw written on the wall the very 
same words, and immediately a restfulness and satis- 
faction came over him, so that he no longer demurred 
at the thought of saying the words and, though he did 
not yet understand, he felt willing to wait. 

“ Oh, how I wish the great busy world would listen 
to this beautiful doctrine. It seems that we must com- 
pel it to come to the feast. I think we all feel like a 
child delightedly showing its new toy to every bod v. 
But the little experience I have had before, will teach 
me to withhold where there is antagonism to the 
truth, beautiful though it is, because my work at home 


TEE SPIRITUAL BIRTH. 


even with my cure, did not interest or convince some 
who would shut their eyes and ears to all. I remem- 
ber so well how I felt like shouting to everyone in my 
joy the glad story of my recovered health, but the 
cold, incredulous looks, and the averted faces chilled 
the tidings on my. lips, and I learned that only when 
the world is thirsty, will it appreciate the cool and 
sparkling waters of truth. 

u Well, dear John, I have not answered your letter 
at all because I was so afraid I would forget the sub- 
stance of the lesson to-day, but I am so glad it seems 
plain to you as I present it, and it is such a help to 
know you are glad I came here. How we shall grow 
together when we begin together. Continue to write 
your opinions and ideas of the lessons, for you have 
such a clear way of expressing yourself. Don’t let 
Jamie forget to write again when you all write. Bless 
his dear little self ! I would so like to see him, but 
then, I know all is well with you, for Good is every- 
where. 


“ Good night and good-bye, “ Makion.” 





CHAPTER XX. 


“ But when every leaf is dropped and the plant stands stripped to 
the uttermost, a new life is even then working in the buds, 
from which shall spring a tenderer foliage and a brighter 
wealth of flowers. So, often, in celestial gardening, every leaf 
of earthly joy must drop before a new and divine bloom visits 
the soul.” — Harriet Beecher Stowe. 

« AT CRD AY no letter came. All the forenoon 
Grace tried to do her duty by saying her denials 
and affirmations while Kate was out giving lessons, but 
she seemed so stupid and felt so cross that in despair she 
resorted to her pain ting, but onty succeeded in spoiling the 
picture she had spent hours and days upon before. When 
Kate came in at the usual hour, feeling so gay and 
light-hearted that she scarcely knew howto contain her- 
self, she was astonished to hear Grace say : 

“ Oh, I am glad you have come at last ! Such a 
day as I have spent ! Thought I’d have so much extra 
time while you were gone to give Millie’s lesson, and 
here I’ve wasted the whole afternoon and spoiled my 
4 shipwreck’ besides, and I'm in a villainous humor. 
Kow, I’m going to pour it all out on your innocent 
head.” She smiled grimly, as she tossed her painting 
apron aside and spitefully turned the picture to the wall. 

“What in the world ails you, Grace?” cried the 
astonished Kate. “ Have you lost your senses ? I was 
congratulating myself coming home on the good time 
we would have again to-night.” 

“ I anticipated it so vividly this morning I could 
m 


TANGLES AND TALKS. 


168 


nardly wait, but really, Kate, I feel ugly, and perhaps it 
would be as well not to talk to me. I will go out for a 
little walk, while you get the tea,” and she went forth- 
with. 

A tumult raged within her that she had not con- 
quered. One moment filled with the most exhilarating 
sense of freedom and joy, the next the direst disgust 
with herself and her failings ; one moment clearly 
understanding the many problems that had come up for 
solution the past week, and the next with no ability to 
reason about anything. This had been going on all 
day. She had even felt unreasonably irritable because 
Kate had so quickly overcome her prejudices. What 
right had she to give away her own for some one else’s 
opinions so easily ? 

Grace gave her glove an impatient twitch as she 
thought of it, but the next instant she wished she, too, 
might be as childlike and receptive as her companion. 

To Kate the Bible was final, unquestioned authority ; 
to Grace it was a corroboration, not a foundation. It 
was more interesting, she must confess, than ever 
before, but then she must have better reasons than had 
yet appeared for taking it as Kate did. 

After all, perhaps this Science was but another 
mirage that had come into her moral vision, as many 
another had come in all the years she had been seeking 
truth and happiness. Happiness ! Had she forgotten 
that for two years that word had been dropped from 
her vocabulary ? That she had resolved to live on the 
best intellectual food the world could offer, without 
tasting its heart viands? She walked on with an 


THE RIGHT KNOCK . 


164 

unwonted energy. No, she would not be deceived ; the 
best and sweetest in life was not for her, but she ought 
at least, to help poor little Kate. 

It was a calm, quiet evening. The sun was just 
disappearing over the distant hills. The sky was 
radiant with delicate pink and blue tints. She was 
walking toward the east, when, glancing at the scene 
in front of her, she saw what seemed to be a brilliant 
fire, not only in one place but in many. Somewhat 
startled, she looked more closely and discovered every 
window ablaze with the sun’s reflected glory. Like a 
flash it came: “I am walking away from the glory of 
Truth. Oh ! how shall I turn my face to God ? ” she 
cried, with unspeakable yearning. 

An agony of suspense seized her. She looked up at 
the calm, beautiful sky, and its rays of radiance seemed 
to send down upon her a benediction of peace. Like a 
soft whisper the words, “ Lo, I am with you always,” 
fell upon her ear. Blessed words that filled her with 
a new-born awe, but they brought a realizing sense of 
ever-present nearness of Truth, such as she had never 
had before, and she was so filled with peace that all 
the world looked like a new world. The turbulent 
waves of doubt and unrest had been divinely stilled. 

She walked on, so filled with her new thoughts that 
the twilight deepened into starlight before she thought 
of home, and then it seemed that every star beam was 
an angel of love sent to guide her on her way. She 
entered quietly as Kate was playing one of Beethoven’s 
symphonies, and never had music seemed so sweet. It 
was like a welcome into heaven. It was the heaven 
within her that made a heaven without. 


Tangles and talks. 


m 


To Kate had come such a realization of divine har- 
mony, that her soul poured itself out in music she had 
never dreamed of before. All the struggles and pains 
of the past years, all the disappointments and unhappi- 
ness found expression through the wailing tones of the 
piano only to be swept away or swelled into sweeter 
and more joyous strains. More and more clearly a 
conception of joy and peace unspeakable filled her 
heart. She wandered again, a happy child, in coun- 
try pastures gathering violets and buttercups. She 
could scent the clover and hear the birds. The water 
r ippled over the pebbles and the air was filled with leaf 
music. Now, again a child, she “ walked in green pas- 
tures and beside the still waters.” The sun of love was 
shining down upon her, and its rays warmed her, 
clothed her, fed her. “ Surely goodness and mercy shall 
follow me all the days of my life and I Will dwell 
in the house of the Lord forever,” she sang softly in an 
awed, hushed voice, as the music grew more divinely 
sweet, and the realization of a nameless Presence filled 
her. It was the presence of impersonal, omnipresent 
Truth, ever flowing into the heart ready for its recep- 
tion, and though at first it may be but a tiny stream, 
it grows to a swelling tide, and all the words in the 
universe can not name its sweet influence, or describe 
its wondrous allness. 

Oh, Katie darling, what wouldst thou have put 
away from thy life, if thou hadst obstinately refused 
admittance to this heavenly Guest ? ... At last the 
music ceased. She bowed her head and gave herself 
up to the inexpressible thoughts that welled into her 


166 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


mind. For some moments she was not aware that 
Grace was in the room, but as she finally arose and 
turned around, she. saw her. Their eyes met, and 
silently was told the story of experiences too sacred to 
utter A silent understanding and a heartfelt sympathy 
bound them by closer ties than they had ever known 
before. To be at one with Truth is to understand 
humanity, and understanding is a voiceless language. 

Sunday afternoon they called on Mr. Hayden and 
found the fourth letter awaiting them. 

“I did not send it up because Kate promised you 
would come over to-day, and now let us have a little 
experience meeting,” he said, as he found chairs for 
them, and seated himself, seemingly awaiting a reply. 

“First let us read the letter,” suggested Grace, who 
was more interested than ever since her yesterday’s 
experience. 

“ Head it aloud,” said Mr. Hayden, settling himself 
back to enjoy it. 

Grace had scarcely begun reading when Jamie 
came in, screaming that his finger was “ boke.” 

“Never mind, Jamie, it will soon be all right. 
Shall papa treat it ? ” taking the child in his lap. 

“ Teat it, papa,” and he laid his little head on papa’s 
breast with perfect confidence that the pain would soon 
be gone. A few moments of silence and he looked up 
innocently, saying with the brightest smile : 

“It’s all gone now. Papa telled the good Jamie to 
tome home,” he explained to the girls, “ and here he is, 
papa,” he added, holding up his sweet mouth for a 
kiss. 


TANGLES AND TALKS. 


167 

“ How beautiful is a child’s faith,” exclaimed Kate, 
after the little fellow had gone out to play again. 

“ Indeed I have learned more than I can tell you 
from the children,” said Mr. Hayden, thoughtfully. 
“ Mabel is old enough to understand a good deal, but 
Fred and Jamie are very quick to apply what they 
learn. Last night Jamie complained of the stomach 
ache. Neither of the children knew that I was near, 
but I overheard Fred telling his brother that he would 
treat him if he would keep still. Jamie consented and 
I peeped in a moment later, curious to know what they 
were doing. Fred sat there grave as an owl, with his 
hands over his eyes, and Jamie in a chair opposite, his 
eyes shut tightly and an air of expectancy on his face.” 

“ Now you’re all right,” said Fred, very positively, 
after a few minutes. They were soon playing and not 
once did the child complain after that. When going 
to bed, Jamie told me about it, and I asked Fred what 
he did when he treated. 

“ W’y,” he answered, “ w’y, I just ’membered 
what you said to Mabel that everybody has two kinds 
o’ thoughts, and one kind thinks you’re sick, and 
the other kind knows you’re well, so I thinked about 
Jamie till I thinked the know thoughts, and course he 
got well then.” 

“ It was a lesson to me, and I have tried to emulate 
their receptiveness and childlike trust. I don’t know 
how well I am succeeding, but it is pretty hard some- 
times to get the problems all worked out.” 

“We wouldn’t have to work them out if we had 
the faith of a child,” said Kate, warmly. These little 
incidents touched her deeply. 


168 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“Well, there is nothing better to learn from than 
living examples, and yet we can only take them as 
guides, they will not do our work for us. Every one 
of us must go through his own experience, and prove 
his right to an inheritance, by claiming it on trust as 
the child does. Now, yesterday,” continued Mr. Hay- 
den, leaning back and stroking his chin, “ I worked 
hard all the forenoon, and everything seemed to go 
wrong with me,” — Grace glanced at Kate — “ I was 
not willing to live a moment at a time, as the child 
does, with no thought or care as to where its next day’s 
supplies are to come from, but I was tired and cross all 
day. The consequence was, in the afternoon my old 
enemy, the headache, began to assert itself. Then I 
got Marion’s letter and that helped me, because it 
threw some light on the cause, but when I heard Fred’s 
explanation of a treatment I just applied it. I ‘ thinked,’ 
till the ‘know thoughts came,’” Mr. Hayden con- 
cluded with a grave smile. 

“ I believe that is what it means to ‘ work out our 
own salvation,’ ” said Grace, “ and how beautiful to 
have the children learn ! It will make different men 
and women of them.” 

“ Indeed it will ; I have already seen some change 
in the children. But are you not going to read the 
letter, Miss Grace ? ” asked Mr. Hayden. 

“ Yes, I am anxious to read it, but I have learned a 
great deal without it.” 

She took it up again and read without interruption 
to the end. 

“ Well, that is quite an explanation of your experi- 


TANGLES AND TALKS. 


169 

ence of yesterday, Mr. Hayden,” explained Kate 
smilingly. 

“ And mine, too,” added Grace. “ It is comforting 
to know that there is a scientific reason for it though.” 

“ I think my darkness came earlier in the lessons, 
for yesterday and to-day have been very bright to me,” 
replied Kate, soberly ; “ but,” she continued, “ there is 
so much about this to admire and so much to prove 
that the system is founded on Christ’s teachings, I can 
not see where doubt could enter.” 

“We might not doubt the principle where we 
would often doubt ourselves,” suggested Mr. Hayden. 

• “ Yes,” said Grace, “ I believe that doubts will 
come as long as we consider it a personal power.” 

“ Which it is not, of course,” interrupted Kate. 

“ Certainly not, but we must grow into a realization 
of Truth, we can not change our old natures in a day, 
and it is only natural at first to feel that it is a personal 
power because we are given so much personal 
responsibility.” 

“ I see what you mean,” said Mr. Hayden, quietly, 
leaning back as if thinking deeply. “ You mean it is 
hard to forget self, and I agree with you. This mind of 
the flesh claims so much wisdom and power of its own 
that it is hard to attribute everything to a higher 
power, and let that power work through you ; but 
when we can do that, we have the kernel of the whole 
system.” 

“ It is a wonderful thought to me, that we reflect 
all things spiritual, as we divest ourselves of our false 
beliefs,” remarked Grace, earnestly. 


170 THE RIGHT KNOCK. 

“In other words, when, we know ourselves as we 
are, and not as we appear, we shall recognize that all 
things we desire are already ours,” added Mr. Hayden. 

“ How could it be otherwise ? The sun is always 
shining behind the darkest clouds. All I ask is that 
the ignorance may be removed,” replied Grace. 

“ Well, I want to understand and believe truth, 
but it seems strange, after we have declared our 
willingness to believe and acknowledge God to be all, 
that we should be tempted. Why couldn’t our acknowl- 
edgement be sufficient ? ” queried Kate, in perplexity 
again. 

“ Why isn’t the simple act of joining the church 
sufficient to make Christians ? Although some seem 
to think it all sufficient, it is not. It is the daily life 
of overcoming, and denial of self that constitutes true 
acknowledgement,” said Grace, laying her hand upon 
that of her friend. 

“ Hot denial of self in the old way, either,” said Mr. 
Hayden, “ but denial of the mortal thought, or as Paul 
would say, the 6 carnal mind.’ ” 

“Yes, and in the temptation of Jesus, we read our 
own temptations,” interrupted Grace, “ and it is all im- 
portant that we should deal with them as he did. Over 
and over he met the opposing thought, represented by 
the tempter or opposer — error always opposing truth — 
and gave it either a plain denial or an emphatic com- 
mand to get out.” 

“That is very plain and very true,” said Kate, with 
a little sigh, “ but still I can not see why God should 
allow us to be tempted after we have fought the battle 
once as Jesus did.” 


TANGLES AND TALKS. 


171 


“ But be fought it more than once,” explained Mr. 
Hayden, earnestly “He was continually overcoming, 
and at times found it necessary to withdraw into the 
mountains where he fasted and prayed.” 

“ That is a good thought to carry home,” suggested 
Grace, rising, “ for we need to follow his example.” 

“ I need it more than anyone else,” said Kate, feel- 
ing a lack of spritual understanding, and wishing she 
could get on faster. 

“You are doing grandly Miss Kate, just think how 
you opposed it all at first.” said Mr. Hayden encour- 
agingly. 

“Yes, I know I did,” flushing a little, “but even 
thus far I have seen enough, or rather experienced 
enough to make me anxious to understand it, and I 
only ask so many questions because I am determined to 
get every speck of light I can.” 

“ If everybody would lay aside prejudice as you have, 
Miss Kate, they would have no difficulty in seeing the 
truth as you do,” he replied. 

The tears came into her eyes. Neither Mr. Hayden 
nor Grace knew how much it had cost her to ‘ lay aside 
prejudice,’ but she could thank God that she had done 
so, and indeed believed it was Providence that had led 
her into this study in spite of herself. 

“ I want the truth,” she said simply, and turned 
away to join Grace, who stood at the open door wait- 
ing for her. 


CHAPTER XXI. 


“ People imagine that the place which the Bible holds in the world 
it owes to miracles. It owes it simply to the fact that it came 
out of a profounder depth of thought than any other book.” — 
Emerson . 


“ Marlow, September . 

B EAR HUSBAND: The first thing I heard 
when I went into the class to-day was Mrs. 
Dawn telling how she had treated a severe belief of 
headache last evening and how marvelously soon the 
terrible pain ceased. She was quite rejoiced because 
it was the first time she had tried to demonstrate the 


principles. 

“ They all have plenty to tell now, and are growing 
more and more interested. Every day somebody has 
some new experience. Little Mrs. Dexter, who has 
been so long treated by the old method, says she fully 
believes she will be cured, is feeling much better, and 
has such an assurance all the time that she has found 
the true healing. She has had several quite remarkable 
demonstrations with others. 

“The whole line of argument is unfolding so 
naturally and beautifully that it seems like a piece of 
fine mosaic, with every form and color interwoven with 
the most exquisite exactness. Mrs. Pearl gave us a 
lecture on inspiration and the Bible, which I consider 
one of the most useful and interesting of any she has 
yet given : 

m 


INSPIRATION AND THE BIBLE. 


173 


“In studying the very fountain springs of Truth, 
and basing our ideas upon a God who is the unex- 
pressed and inexpressible essence of Truth itself, with 
whom is ‘no respect of persons,’ and to whom we owe 
all knowledge, it becomes us to inquire a little into the 
manner and means of gaining that knowledge. 

“ That all peoples in all climes and ages have devel- 
oped similar ideas and expressed them in like terms, as 
philology shows, is an indisputable fact, strengthened 
and corroborated by our broader conception and higher 
understanding of God, the omnipresent Good. 

“But how have these ideas come to them? Have 
they come through what is known as inspiration or 
revelation? As the one fountain of Intelligence is 
open to all alike, this must be the case, because Truth 
comes only in this way. Inspiration means an ‘inbreath- 
ing,’ a breathing in of true knowledge, and because the 
omnipresent Good comes into every consciousness 
prepared to receive it, there is an inbreathing in 
accordance with the readiness to receive. Intelligence 
is like the air, to be breathed by every living being. 
Thus far, humanity has expanded its lungs of conscious- 
ness only enough to have inhaled fundamental truth, 
or what is recognized as such, but we are constantly 
receiving more, and in proportion as we receive, do we 
know what we receive. 

“All truth is inspired or revealed, because whatever 
is true is of the great Truth. This must be so, yet 
many people consider inspiration as confined to the 
authors of the Bible and that with them, inspiration 
ceased. The immortal Job said, ‘There is a spirit in 


m 


1HE RIGHT KNOCK. 


man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him 
understanding . 5 The inbreathing of the Almighty, All- 
powerful Truth, giveth understanding. No truer words 
were ever uttered. 

“As inspiration is inhaling or breathing in Truth, 
we can readily understand that ‘ God, Truth, Principle, 
is no respecter of persons . 5 That it is a ‘miraculous 
influence which qualifies man to receive and communi- 
cate divine truth , 5 is in a sense true, for the works of 
God are always ‘ wonderful , 5 but there can be no set- 
ting aside of divine law, as some erroneously suppose, 
for the performance of these things that seem unac- 
countable to human reason. It is a lack of understand- 
ing as to how Truth works, that has caused a belief in 
supernatural or miraculous ways. Could a fish judge 
according to appearances, he would regard the creat- 
ures that walk on land as gifted with supernatural 
power, because it would be utterly beyond his concep- 
tion to know how they could do so. 

“Revelation and inspiration are frequently used 
interchangeably, but that which is revealed, is the man- 
ifested result of inspiration rather than inspiration 
itself. Whenever w T e are ready to breathe or absorb 
Truth into our consciousness, we get a reveal ment 
— ‘ inspiration giveth understanding . 5 This breathing- 
in process lifts us above ordinary knowledge and gives 
refreshing glimpses of heavenly Truth, it is like breath- 
ing in fresh air, after having been in a close suffocating 
room. We say this or that scene, person or object 
inspires us ; we mean that some beautiful thought or 
conception of Truth is revealed to us, through or by 


INSPIRATION AND TUE BIBLE. 


175 


our seeing these objects, because they hint of some- 
thing better and higher, and the moment we get the 
higher thought, we are conscious of knowing higher 
Truth. This is revelation. 

“ Revelation and inspiration are the usual terms for 
expressing spiritual processes but are necessarily inade- 
quate to express accurate spiritual meanings. How ideas 
are born is a question of questions. Whether they come 
from without or within, they must establish the oneness 
of God and man in mind and idea. The only 4 without’ 
there can be is that which is without the consciousness, 
the only ‘within’ is that which is within the conscious- 
ness. Development, growth, unfoldment, better 
express spiritual consciousness. What is conscious- 
ness but a recognition of itself? Then would not 
‘ recognition ’more fully describe the birth of ideas ? As 
we grow able to recognize harmony and love, harmony 
and love are revealed to us. 

“ The more spiritual our thoughts and desires, the 
more spiritual our revelations. To think and talk 
of God, to desire knowledge of Him, creates a re- 
ceptivity which sooner or iater brings the revealment 
of more truth, and that of the highest quality. But it 
is not always by what we see that we are lifted into 
this consciousness of new knowledge. In various ways 
is the Truth expressed to us, and whether we know how 
or why it should be thus and so, matters not if we re- 
ceive the message. 

“ The wisdom of our Father has provided that none 
of His children should be without a knowledge of Him, 
without a power to recognize and appreciate Truth, 


176 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


and in the way or language best suited to the capacity 
of each to understand, are the revelations made. 
Sometimes this knowledge comes into our conscious- 
ness like a direct message from God, and so vividly are 
we impressed, that no other words could express the 
nearness and clearness of it, than the expression 4 walk- 
ing and talking with God.’ Sometimes wonderful 
pictures appear before our mind’s eye, and reading 
their symbolic meaning, we catch hints of higher wis- 
dom that would otherwise have been hidden. 

“By persistently ignoring the spiritual and cultivat- 
ing the intellectual faculties, mankind has well nigh 
lost the highest means of inspiration, but now that we 
again, like the prophets and apostles of old, seek for 
signs of the Infinite, we are gradually recovering the 
key by which they unlocked its mysteries. 

“As to the infallibility of what is thus revealed, we 
must remember that while truth is always infallible, 
there is a possibility of its recognition or conception 
being tinged to a greater or less degree, with our erro- 
neous judgements, and as the light, pure in itself, is 
colored by the glass through which it passes, so is the 
divinest truth colored with the quality of mind through 
which it comes to the world. As Heber Newton says, 
‘ Inspiration can not do away with the limitations of 
the human individuality.’ Thus, in our discrimination 
of so-called inspired literature, language or thoughts, 
we must learn that whatever is opposite God, the uni- 
versal idea of goodness, is the chaff that must be blown 
away. In other words it is the assumption of mortal 
thought instead of absolute knowledge of divine mind. 


INSPIRATION AND THE BIBLE. 


177 


u It would be an utter impossibility to describe infi- 
nite truth in finite language. Words are inadequate 
to express the grandeur of sacred revelation. 

“ With this view of inspiration, we can readily 
see how far short we have come in our concep- 
tions of the Bible, and now that we are to use and 
understand this wonderful book as never before, it is 
well that we consider it a little more closely. 

“ There are three general views held in regard to 
the Bible as an inspired book. 1. That it is verbally 
inspired; i. e ., that every word is direct from God. 
2. That it is partially inspired ; and, 3. That it is no 
more inspired than any other good book. The first 
two of these views have been and are accompanied with 
the idea that everything going under the name of 
inspiration, is infallible, hence the idea that every state- 
ment made throughout the entire book is absolute 
truth. 

“The Bible itself makes no claim to infallibility, 
though there are frequent references to inspiration and 
the influence of the Holy Ghost in moving men to 
speak, but the principal text on which is based this 
claim of infallibility is II. Tim. iii : 16. At the time this 
was written, there was only the Old Testament, includ- 
ing the Apocrypha, that could be referred to as Script- 
ure, so when we read Paul’s assertion that, ‘all script- 
ure is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for 
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction 
in righteousness,’ if we take it to be infallible, we 
have a reasonable ground for regarding the Old Testa- 
ment and the Apocrypha as infallible. But a more 


178 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


literal rendering of the Greek text would be, ‘all script- 
ure divinely inspired is indeed profitable for teaching, 
for conviction, for correction,’ etc., and by simply chang- 
ing the position of the little word is, we have a vastly 
different sentence. 

“ Regarding the interpretation of scripture, Peter 
says : ‘ All prophecy of scripture is not of its own solu- 
tion.’ The literal Greek is, 4 all prophecy of a writing, 
of its own loosing not it is,’ meaning, of course, that 
sacred writings can not always be interpreted literal- 
ly, but must be understood according to their spiritual 
meaning. Great writings are not confined to any pri- 
vate or local meaning, but refer more especially to 
great principles, to universal truth. 

“ If we consider the origin of the Bible, we shall 
learn what comparatively few of us know, viz., how the 
Bible grew into a book. In a necessarily brief outline 
it is impossible to give anything but a bird’s-eye view 
of this very interesting and important subject. 

“ As we look back to earlier times, through the var- 
ious channels, we find that much of what is considered 
history is merely legendary ; that long before the art of 
writing was known, these legends and myths were 
handed down from generation to generation, and from 
age to age. Familiar as we are with human nature, 
we may well imagine the additions and subtractions 
and divergencies introduced by each succeeding nar- 
rator, copyist or editor in every age. This is a very 
important feature to be considered in interpreting 
ancient scriptures, but there are also others. History 
reveals the fact that the books of the Old Testament 


INSPIRATION AND THE BIBLE. 


179 


were not written nor arranged in the order in which 
they now appear in the Bible. For instance, while it 
has been generally considered that the first five books 
were written by Moses fifteen hundred years before 
Christ, the best authorities have found at least a por- 
tion of them to have been written, or compiled rather, 
in their present form 600 to 700 B. C. 

“ Whether Moses or some one else wrote them 
detracts not the least from the value of the truth they 
contain, for whatever is true, can not lose its value or 
be effected by the authorship. This is only one of the 
many facts that might be produced to show that the 
Old Testament came in the most natural way, and not 
at all through a miracle or by miraculous interposition. 

“ Referring again to the best records we have, we 
find the books of the New Testament were written 
from 50 to 175 A. D., thus showing the liability to 
mistakes, and the reason for man}' of the discrepen- 
cies in the New Testament. That the time between 
the writing of the oldest and the latest parts of the 
Bible covered a period of more than a thousand years, 
should have much significance in our judgment of both 
the writers and their writings. 

“Dr. Ileber Newton says: ‘We are not to read 
the Biblical writers as though they were all cotempo- 
raries. They are separated by vast tracts of time. The 
later writers stand upon the. shoulders of their prede- 
cessors and see farther and clearer. We are not to 
view the institutions or doctrines of the Bible as though 
no matter in what period of development of the Hebrew 
Nation, or of the Christian Church they were found, 
they were equally authoritative to us.’ 


180 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Though the prophets and apostles were inspired, 
we must remember that they necessarily had to use the 
language and methods of speech prevalent in their 
time in giving their divinest revelations to the people. 
The language was rich with Oriental imagery, strong 
figures of speech, and allusions to manners and customs 
of other nations. Unless we understand something of 
the literature and customs, the religious ceremonies 
and laws alluded to, we are very much in the dark as 
to the original meaning. 

“ For instance, unless we know the custom that 
prevailed in ancient times of putting the sins of the 
people, figuratively speaking, into a white cloth, dip- 
ping the cloth into blood, tying it to the horns of the 
scapegoat, and turning the animal loose in the wilder- 
ness till the sun, air and rain had bleached it white, 
we can not appreciate the expression, ‘ though thy sins 
be as scarlet, yet shall they be washed white as snow.’ 
Until we realize that the ideas and language as well as 
the customs and rites of barbarous and ignorant 
heathendom influence every page of the Bible, we shall 
not know how much allowance to make for the revela- 
tions of the Divine, and the suppositions and possible 
mistakes of the human. Until we know that the Bible 
has gone through many hands since its words were 
first spoken or written, we can not realize the possible 
loss of its most spiritual meanings. 

“ Moses, Isaiah, David, John, Paul had the grandest 
revelations possible to man, experiences not ‘lawful to 
utter,’ not possible to clothe in words. The unspeakable 
can not be put into speech. To attempt it is to color it 


INSPIRATION AND THE BIBLE. 


181 


with finite meanings. To describe the Infinite is but to 
limit or confine God. 

“ When we consider that no very ancient writings 
have reached us without the marks of many pens ; when 
we consider the impossibility of exact translation, the 
difficulty of perfect copying all the years before the art 
of printing, the method of canonizing the books and 
formulating creeds, we must know that something 
besides God’s message has come down to us. And yet 
a message is there notwithstanding. 

“Yes, the authors of the Bible were inspired. 
Whatever of Truth they revealed is infallible, but as 
men with finite conceptions and abilities, they could 
not comprehend nor reveal all of God. 

“ ‘ God is the same yesterda}^, to-day and forever,’ 
and talks to man face to face to-day even as with 
the immortal Moses. 

“ ‘ I know that the Bible is inspired, because it finds 
me at greater depths of my being than any other 
book,’ said Coleridge. 

“ All candid students of sacred Scriptures agree 
that there is a spiritual meaning back of the literal. 
The question with us is, how can we get at this spiritual 
or esoteric interpretation. 

“ If you will let the spirit of Truth guide you, it 
will bless you with keener discernment, and clearer 
understanding, than has been possible for you heretofore. 
It is when you look for the spirit of religion that you find 
it and understand it, and the fact that so much has 
been said against our Bible as a book, does not and 
can not detract a particle from its value. 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


4 There is a light that lighteth every man ! ’ Every 
one of God’s children has the power to distinguish truth 
from error, and only needs to assert that divine privi- 
lege of knowing and acknowledging truth in order to 
to find it. 

“ Humanity is so under the yoke of traditional opin- 
ions that it has not dared think for itself, but the time has 
come when 4 ye shall of yourselves know what is truth,’ 
when each must prove his individual liberty by claim- 
ing it. Is not the wisdom to know and understand 
God’s revelations given to every one who asks, or rather 
appreciates what he already has? 

44 There is no reason for depending upon any but 
the wisdom in ourselves, for searching the meanings of 
any Scripture. Whatever is true, we shall understand 
and hold as infallible. That we have a rich storehouse 
of precious gems, even the most adverse thinkers 
admit, and above all else we should search for them, 
prize them, and use them. Study the Bible for the sake 
of its wonderful and sacred truth, catch the inspiration 
of its writers, and you will soon discriminate the 
inspired from the uninspired. With the statements of 
the true is necessarily more or less error ; the Truth 
we want, the falsity we leave behind. Whatever is 
good and pure and ennobling is of God ; whatever is 
evil, erroneous, degrading, is from man’s misconception 
of Him. 

44 Goethe, who highly valued the Bible, said : ‘With 
reference to things in the Bible, the question whether 
they are genuine or spurious is odd enough. What is 
genuine but that which is truly excellent, which stands 


INSPIRATION AND THE BIBLE. 


m 


in harmony with the purest nature and reason, and which 
even now ministers to our higher development ? What 
is spurious but the absurd and the hollow which brings 
no fruit.’ 

“ If you do not understand, wait. Do not judge 
hastily or allow yourself to be biased by the opinions of 
others.' What may seem hard* unreasonable dogma, 
may later prove but a veil over the sweetest, spiritual 
truth. Reverence to read, patience to learn, wisdom to 
understand — all these we want, and then, more 
brightly than before shall shine the sacred diamonds 
that stud inspired pages. 

“We refer again to what Dr. Newton says in his 
grand essay on the Right Critical use of the Bible: ‘ Suc- 
cessive generations of men, struggling with sin, striv- 
ing for purity, searching after God, have exhaled their 
spirits into the essence of religion, which is treasured 
in this costly vase. 

“ ‘ The moral forces of centuries devoted to righteous- 
ness are stored in this exhaustless reservoir of ethical 
energy. At such cost, my brothers, has Humanity 
issued this sacred book. From such patience of prepa- 
ration has Providence laid this priceless gift before you. 
In such labor of articulation — spelling out the sylla- 
bles of the message from on high, through multitudi- 
nous lives of men dutifully and devoutly walking with 
their God, does the Spirit speak to you, O, soul of man. 
Say thou : ‘ Speak, Lord ; thy servant heareth ! 

* * * * * * 

. “ Thank God, Marion has at last found the key to 
the Bible,” murmured Mr. Hayden, as he finished the 
letter. 


CHAPTER XXII. 


“ Not in Jerusalem alone, 

God hears and answers prayer, 

Nor on Samaria’s mountain lone, 
Dispenses blessings there. 

But in the secrecy of thought, 

Our silent souls may pray; 

Or round the household altar brought, 
Begin and close the day.” 


— Janies Montgomery. 



RACE was busily engaged with “ Hypatia.” She 


\|pi felt for the first time she could bring out the peace 
and reposeful strength of character Kate had thought so 
sadly lacking, and one afternoon, a few days after the 
memorable walk, she sat down to her work with a 
pleasurable anticipation of bringing out her ideal. As 
she put the touches here and there that changed the 
expression, now adding to this feature, now taking from 
that, she was thinking of the changes needed in herself, 
and wondering how or by what process they would be 
wrought by the invisible Artist. 

She was mixing some paint on her palette, when 
a rap was heard at the door. Before she had time to 
say or do anything, in walked Mrs. Dyke with a timid 
little woman who came in like a martyr, but one re- 
solved to die at her post if necessary. Grace was too 
astonished to speak for an instant, then rising, she put 
down her palette, wiped her hands and went forward 
with an invitation to the ladies to be seated. 


m 


A CHURCH COMMITTEE. 185 

“ Is this Miss Turner?” began Mrs. Dyke, with a 
critical glance about the apartment, and then at 
Grace. 

“No, madam, Miss Turner is not in. She generally 
returns about five, but to-day — •” 

“Very well, we can come again, for it is very im- 
portant business. Are you the young woman who lives 
with her?” asked Mrs. Dyke, as she seated herself with 
deliberate dignity. “ This is Mrs. Linberger, and we 
have called as the church committee to look after Miss 
Turner’s soul,” she continued, waving her hand majes- 
tically toward her companion-in-arms. 

“Indeed,” gasped Grace, bowing slightly toward 
Mrs. Linberger, and coughing a little as she put her 
handkerchief to her mouth to hide a smile. 

“ She belongs to our church, and we have heard she 
is being led astray by this blasphemous Christian Sci- 
ence,” pursued Mrs. Dyke, looking severely at Grace 
from under her thick grey veil which hung like a low- 
ering cloud just above her eyes. “Mr. Narrow 
requested me and Mrs. Linberger to call and examine 
into the matter. I hope you don’t encourage such 
wickedness, young woman ?” 

“ Certainly I am at enmity with any kind of wick- 
ness, but I am not aware of any particular wicked- 
ness in Christian Science,” replied Grace, bracing 
herself for the storm she saw brewing. 

“ What ! you don’t see anything wrong in such 
awful heresy!” exclaimed Mrs. Dyke, again pushing 
her veil up, and looking with horrified eyes, first at 
Grace, then at Mrs. Linberger, “Perhaps you don’t 


186 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


understand about it,” she added, softening a little as 
she settled back in her chair. 

“ I must confess I know but very little about it, but 
what I do know only increases my desire to know 
more,” said Grace, flushing, as she sat down in the 
nearest chair. 

“ Let me warn you not to read or hear another 
word about it then, for it will simply be the means of 
worse than death to you,” continued Mrs. Dyke, rais- 
ing her finger solemnly. 

“ It destroys the most important doctrines in the 
Bible, even taking away the belief in the devil and 
hell,” added Mrs. Linberger, speaking for the first 
time. 

“Yes; they even deny there ever was a devil or 
that there ever will be any future punishment. Just 
think of it,” reiterated Mrs. Dyke. “I guess they will 
see, some time ! ” she added with a sort of steely satis- 
faction. 

“Do you really believe they lay aside all future 
punishment ? ” asked Grace, willing to waive the appli- 
cation to herself, and anxious to hear Mrs. Dyke’s 
views. 

“Yes, they say there is no evil and no devil, so of 
course there is no need for punishment.” 

“ But do they not regard the devil as Jesus did, 
after all ? ” asked Grace, again pursuing her advantage. 

“ U-m, well, Jesus recognized him and talked to 
him, telling him to get out, and he often referred to the 
everlasting punishment,” added Mrs. Dyke again, with 
a solemn face. 


A CHURCH COMMITTEE. 


187 


“But, he did not mean a literal fire, did he, when 
He spoke of everlasting punishment ? ” 

Mrs. Dyke was the catechized instead of the cate- 
chizer, and it was an unaccustomed role , but she bore 
it like a soldier. 

“Of course he did ; several places in Matthew he 
described the lot of the wicked, and referred to the 
danger of hell-fire. Haven’t you studied the Bible, 
Miss Hall?” suddenly turning to look straight at 
Grace with some severity. 

“ I am very much interested in it, Mrs. Dyke, but 
when I read that 4 God’s mercy endureth forever,’ and 
that 4 Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil,’ I 
am inclined to think there must be some mistake about 
the dreadful wrath that is to last forever,” calmly 
replied Grace. 

“ And you don’t believe in eternal punishment ? ” 
cried Mrs. Dyke, in a shrill voice of astonishment. 

“ Don’t believe in eternal punishment % ” echoed Mrs. 
Linberger. 

“ I did not say that. I do think there is punish- 
ment so long as there is sin, but when we believe 
Christ has destroyed or can destroy sin, sickness, sor- 
row or death, which are the devil’s works, they will be 
destroyed. It must be so if we trust the words of the 
gospel.” 

“Well, I am thankful to find Miss Turner in such 
Christian company at any rate,” said Mrs. Dyke, as she 
adjusted her veil, preparatory to her departure. 

“Yes, indeed; it is a pleasure to see such an ear- 
nest young Christian,” added Mrs. Linberger, with a 
sigh of satisfaction. 

O 


188 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ But, ladies,” began Grace, “ I am not such a ” 

u ¥e shall be pleased to have you accompany Miss 
Turner to our meetings some time, Miss Hall,” inter, 
rupted Mrs. Dyke, not heeding what Grace was saying. 
“Here is a card announcing the regular weekly services, 
and here are some tracts for you to read.” She dealt 
out a liberal supply, which Grace took as she again 
started to explain, but a sudden haste had seized her 
visitors, and they left, saying they would try and call 
some other time, when Miss Turner was at home. 

As Grace turned to go back to her painting, she 
caught a glance of her reflection in the glass. After 
looking at it a moment with a quizzical expression, she 
suddenly burst into a merry laugh, saying : “ I did 

not know you had turned Bible teacher. Well, well, 
it was funny, bat I could not help it, that she went 
away with the wrong impression of me, for she would 
not listen to my explanation.” 

When Kate came home she brought another letter 
from Mrs. Hayden, but before it was read Grace told 
her all about the call by the “church committee.” 
Kate looked a little grave at first, but finally straight- 
ening up as she took off her gloves and hat, she said : 

“Well, Grace, it is not very pleasant to be waited 
upon in this fashion, but I suppose if they take me in 
hand I can’t help myself, and so I will be resigned to 
fate.” She smiled and spoke cheerily, but a little tre- 
mor of the old fear touched her, notwithstanding. 

“ Let us read the letter now,” suggested Grace, think- 
ing that would be the best thing to revive Kate’s damp- 
ened courage. 


A CHURCH COMMITTEE. 


180 


“ Yes, I am anxious to read it ; Mr. Hayden told 
me it is on the Bible, and very helpful.” 

“ I am so glad ! ” she exclaimed, when it was fin- 
ished. “ How I can interpret more freely myself, as I 
plainly see we must use our judgment about the Bible, 
as well as anything else. But what does it mean about 
the creeds ? ” she added suddenly, appealing to Grace 
with the old anxious look in her eyes. 

“ It means,” said Grace, “ that the ordinary ortho- 
dox interpretation of doctrinal points was voted upon 
by bishops, presbyters and laity generally, and because 
the majority of votes indicated a preference for a cer- 
tain interpretation, it was adopted and became the 
established creed, and thus we have what is called the 
Apostles’ Creed, which is the basis of all orthodox 
churches throughout Christendom. “ And so with all 
creeds ; they are all established by majority vote.” 

“ I should never have known anything about this,” 
she continued, “ if I had not been searching so eagerly 
for some religion that would satisfy, and in my ram- 
bles I came across this information.” 

“Are you sure it is reliable?” was Kate’s almost 
feverish question. It seemed that she must hold on to 
something or the last straw that bound her to the 
teachings of childhood, would break. 

“ It is a matter of history, and you see Mrs. Hay- 
den has touched upon it, though very lightly. But it 
is the grandest historical truth I ever read, for it gives 
personal liberty. I shall never forget how happy I 
was to learn that the creeds were simply man-made or 
man-expressed opinions, for in that case, I too, had 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


190 

liberty to read and think for myself, just as well as 
those who voted upon these various interpretations.” 

Grace was handsome when filled with enthusiasm, 
and as Kate looked at her at this moment she thought 
her face perfectly angelic, but one more question she 
must ask of this noble friend, who knew just what she 
needed to know and could tell it when she needed it 
most. “Do you think Christian Science does away with 
the creeds of the church ? ” 

“No, not necessarily. So far as I can see, it merely 
seeks truth, and whatever of truth is found anywhere 
is retained. It is only the husks that are thrown away. 
Indeed I can see more in the church than I ever could 
before I knew anything of Christian Science,” replied 
Grace, thoughtfully. 

“ Why, how is that ? ” asked Kate in surprise. 

“The fundamental oneness in their search after 
God. What is back of the creed but a desire to rever- 
ence Deity ? That was the origin, no matter into what 
it has degenerated now, and we must judge according 
to the spirit, not the letter. Oh, when will the world 
worship in the unity of the spirit ? ” sighed Grace, long- 
ing for the time when questionings and controversies 
would be at an end. 

“ Here is Mrs. Dyke, for instance,” she resumed, 
presently, “ what is she striving for but to live the true 
religion as she understands it? I can ^respect any hon- 
est people who live up to their belief, and the Christian 
who moans and sighs and looks doleful because he 
thinks it is his duty to do so, is much higher in my 
estimation than the one who believes it to be right, but 
fails to live accordingly.” 


A CHUCRII COMMITTEE. 


191 


“ The spirit of religion washes away all differences 
in the letter,” concluded Kate, with a lighter heart 
than she had when they began their conversation. 

The vague terror that had occasionally thrust itself 
upon her during these last few weeks had loosened its 
hold upon her, and she realized, as never before, that 
fear, more than anything else, had kept her back ; fear 
of deviating from the traditional and accepted opinions. 
The Bible lesson was especially valuable, because it 
touched these very points, and after this little conver- 
sation with Grace on the subject she was like another 
person. 

When Mrs. Dyke called a few evenings later, after 
a similar interview to the one with Grace, she left 
the battlefield a wiser soldier than when she entered it, 
for Kate had so beautifully proven her religious earnest- 
ness, and more than all had shown such a Christ-like 
spirit, that the “sword was beaten into a plowshare 
and the spear into a pruning hook.” 



CHAPTER XXIII. 


“ More things are wrought by prayer 
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore let thy voice 
Rise like a fountain for me night and day, 

For what are men better than sheep or goats 
That nourish a blind life within the brain, 

If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer 
Both for themselves and those who call them friend? 

For so the whole round world is every way 
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.” 

— Tennyson. 

“Marlow, September, . 

B eau husband : 

“ Your letter was so fall of interest. How 
glad, oh how rejoiced I am that we are privileged 
to know this beautiful truth. Don’t you ever feel 
like stopping in the midst of your work and giving 
thanks that you were born in this age ? As my eyes 
open more and more to God’s goodness and love and 
power, I am so full of thanks, there is no room for 
petitions; indeed, I should feel as though I were beg- 
ging, to ask God for what He has already given me, 
and of course lie gives every child alike, being ‘no 
respecter of persons.’ Just think of it : ‘Eye hath not 
seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the 
heart of man, to conceive the things which God hath 
prepared for them that love Him.’ Negative thought, 
carnal mind can not know these things, but as we are 


192 


PRATER. 


193 


cleansed and purified, the new baptism 4 creates fin 
us a new heart,’ the loving child’s heart turned to its 
father, and love shall teach us more and more to read 
the signs of love. 

“ Oh, divine mystery of childhood, of parenthood, 
that brings us into closer and sweeter knowledge of our 
Father whose love is infinite. Out of the deep silence 
around us, filled as it is with the all-abiding presence 
of God, may we ask for a manifestation of whatever 
gift we choose to have. These thoughts filled my 
mind as I went to class this afternoon, and what was 
my surprise and pleasure to find the lesson to be on 
the subject of prayer. 

“ There is no theme or word so constantly in the 
mind and on the lips of the Christian Scientist as 
prayer. The oft-repeated injunction of Jesus was, 
4 watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation.’ 4 Pray 
without ceasing.’ As we study more closely into the 
life of the Master, we find him on all occasions com- 
muning with the Father in prayer. Thus we find 
that this is the most sacred and necessary of all 
branches of our daily work. 

44 Prayer is the natural turning of the better self 
to God, in the attitude of thankfulness, praise, suppli- 
cation or voiceless desire. 4 It must be the spontaneous 
and almost irrepressible outpouring of the thoughts 
and feelings of the soul into the listening ear of a 
present God,’ said an earnest thinker. 

44 To what wonderful depths and heights our prayers 
lead us when they are thus spontaneous and irre- 
pressible ! How well David has expressed the grati- 


m 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


tude, the holy trust and majestic praise common to 
every devout child of God. ‘ The Lord is my shepherd,’ 
is blessed affirmation of supreme trust, the naming of 
God’s glorious gifts, the gratitude for peace, life, love, 
protection, friendship, all the heavenly blessings of 
God’s presence in God’s house. In this wonderful 
psalm we find, no doubt, no thought of waiting for 
future blessings, but a grand outpouring of thankful- 
ness for the present. There are no petitions, no sup- 
plications, no reserves of praise, but simply the glad 
recognition and appreciation of the omnipresence and 
omnipotence of Good. 

“ It was the same feeling, tempered with a deeper 
solemnity, that prompted Jesus to say 4 Father, I thank 
thee that thou hast heard me,’ as he was about to 
perform the mighty miracle of raising Lazarus. 

“Thanks signify the accomplishment of the desire, 
his request of the Father was granted before he had 
even preferred it, for he knew the law and realized it 
— that God is life and knows not death — but the form 
of words was observed because that makes the law a 
visible fact. 

“ Father is the human naming for this divine Love 
that ever waits for the spoken word in order to be re- 
vealed. To Jesus it was the dearest and best name of all 
by which to address or speak to the one great Helper, 
Guide, Friend. 4 Father, I thank thee,’ was often on 
his lips, and it was to the 4 Father whoseeth in secret’ 
that he bade his disciples pray. 

44 In the secret consciousness of oneness with the 
Father there may be no reservations, no concealments, 


PRATER. 


195 


no hypocritical bigotry, no thought of self, only a glad 
going out with all our heart and soul to the Father, a 
trustful acknowledgment of the Good. This is the 
attitude of true prayer. 

“ The devout soul is always praying, because it con- 
sciously lives with God. There are times of praise, 
adoration, extolment,when thankfulness is more exuber- 
ant, runs over into bursting joy, and times when long- 
ing desire carries us into the very bosom of God. We 
long for comfort, for love, for peace, with an unutter- 
able agony of longing, and are met with an unutterable 
joy of satisfaction, if we but turn to Him and acknowl- 
edge, but an indispensable preliminary to prayer is 
fasting. The power of accomplishment in fasting and 
prayer equals a decree. 

“ The conditions upon which hinge our use of the 
divine power are, first , 4 putting away iniquity ’ — fast- 
ing; second, turning to God — prayer. Then comes 
the power to decree; then we see the truth of Jesus’ 
promise : 4 All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, 
believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have 
them.’ Then we look into the face of the Almighty, 
and reflect the same power, are able to do a like work, 
make visible the things of His creation by speaking 
the word of acknowledgment, that they are already 
established. 

44 It was this kind of prayer that enabled the dis- 
ciples to heal the sick, cast out demons and do all the 
wonderful works. Failure was simply a sign of un- 
faithfulness in prayer. 4 Oh, ye of little faith!’ was 
the Master’s explanatory exclamation. 


196 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Here was a most essential requisite — faith in the 
Father, who alone is the power ; faith and trust in the 
invisible All. Why do we pray so much Avith no 
answer to even our most devout aspirations ? Because, 
like the disciples, we have too little faith. 

“ The heart-weary mother has prayed for her son, 
and he still goes the ‘ broad way that leadeth to destruc- 
tion,’ as she thinks ; but for her heart- weariness, Avhich 
is but lack of faith, he might have been turned into 
‘ paths of righteousness.’ With her mind continually 
burdened with fear, dire forebodings and anxious doubts, 
she has asked, begged, beseeched the mighty Ruler of 
destinies to soften the heart of her wayward boy. 
Thankfulness that God has given to her child the com- 
mon inheritance to all possible blessings, a pure spirit- 
ual nature, the reflection of the All-Good, has never 
entered her thought to express. Her mind is divided 
between a conception of good and a conception of its 
opposite — evil. The result is years of hopeless praying, 
years of hopeless Avaiting. 4 A house divided against 
itself can not stand.’ 

“ 4 Pray, belieying that ye ha\ T e received.’ Thus, 4 I 
thank Thee, Father, for the perfect reflection of Thy- 
self in my son. He is Avhble because he lives in and of 
Thy wholeness. I thank Thee that Thou hast already 
done more than I could ask. 4 It is finished.’ Into 
Thy hands I commend my all.’ 

44 In this is the simple recognition of the All-Father, 
His love and His omnipotence. And after this, Avhat? 
Trust — unwavering, childlike trust. So the burden is 
truly 4 cast upon the Lord,’ evil is overcome, swalloAved 
up in the Good. 


PRAYER. 


197 


“ With such mighty faith, what a cleansing there 
would be ! what a sincere, glad rejoicing that the true 
relation between God and man were proven, for faith 
is the bond between the invisible and the visible, a 
‘ basis of things hoped for, a conviction of things unseen.’ 

“ With what devoutness, then, would we name the 
needs and aspirations? With what certainty would we 
assert that we have ‘ already received ? ’ Not far off in 
the intangible somewhere, but here, there, everywhere 
may we find the Good, and ‘ he that dwelleth in the sec- 
ret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow 
of the Almighty.’ 

“ To dwell in the secret place, in the pure and right- 
eous thought, is to be always under the protection of 
the Most High. To be able to say, ‘ He is my refuge 
and my fortress,’ is the grand privilege given to the 
heir of the King, the heir that has come to the full 
knowledge of his inheritance and thankfully uses it. 

“ ‘ The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man 
availeth much,’ wrote the wise and righteous James. 
There is an infinite promise of the fulfillment of right- 
eousness in these words. They contain the key to all 
accomplishment or all failure. The righteous man is 
one who £ walketh righteously, speaketh uprightly, 
stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, shutteth his 
eyes from seeing evil’ (prayer and fasting). The 
righteous man decrees magnificently and trusts infi- 
nitely. He does not approach God like a cringing 
servant, licking the dust at his master’s feet, but 
like a Prince who enters his Father’s presence with the 
simple statement of his wants, and knowing his Father’s 


198 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


tvill takes the glorious gift with thanksgiving and 
praise. 

“ Is it health he would have manifested for himself 
or his neighbor? He confidently acknowledges the 
health, even though he can not see it, the health with 
which all humanity is endowed, if it would claim its 
endowment. Is it peace, power, strength he desires, 
he again goes to the royal treasury. With the right 
word he climbs the stair of heaven ; with the right 
faith he enters his Father’s house, where all things 
abound. 

“ The righteous man is of one mind, the divine 
Mind that works through him. Were all the praying 
world of one mind, think you a Lincoln would have 
been martyred, a Garfield sacrificed, or tender little 
children lost to our sight ? 

44 God is the same forever. There is no inharmony 
to come from Harmony. Be of one mind ; let the 
divine Mind work through you; acknowledge only the 
divine creation, and then all beliefs in the opposite 
of God will be destroyed. The immaculate Christ 
(Truth) destroys the works of the evil (error) to-day, 
even as in the far away centuries of the past, 4 if so be 
you let the Mind that was in Christ Jesus be in you.’ 

“ The practical naming of daily prayer is denial and 
affirmation, denying evil or undesirable conditions, and 
acknowledging the Good or absolute. 

“ 4 Being is the vast affirmative excluding negation, 
self-balanced and swallowing up all relations, parts and 
times within itself. Nature, truth, virtue, are the 
influx from thence,’ said Emerson, noting the absolute- 


PRATER. 


199 


ness of that which is. To become one with this affirm- 
ative Allness, is to manifest the affirmative condition 
of Being. 

“ Paul says in Titus : ‘ The grace of God hath ap- 

peared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness 
and worldly desires, we should live soberly, righteously 
and godly in this present world ; ’ and in the next 
chapter, referring to the same subject : ‘ This is a faith- 
ful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm con- 
stantly, that they which hath believed in God might be 
careful to maintain good works.’ 

“ There is no ceasing of this, most necessary process. 
It is only by denying and affirming constantly that we 
fast and pray, thus fitting ourselves for the cleansing 
ministry. It is to ‘ be diligent in season and out of sea- 
son,’ if we would gain the true reflection from Omnip- 
otence. 

Wliat the sun is to the flower, 

Thou to us art every hour ; 

Like the dew on lily’s breast 
Fall all blessings from the Best. 

Not alone in day would we 
Turn our faces, Lord, to Thee, 

But through lowering clouds of night 
Would reflect Thy radiant light ; 

Thanking Thee for all Thy care, 

May our lives be filled with prayer. 

“ What an outpouring there was in the silence after 
this. Such a flood of reverence and trustfulness filled 
my heart, and instantly it flashed upon me that God 
requires no outward forms or ceremonies of His children, 
except they be the spontaneous and involuntary expres- 
sion of an overflowing heart. 


200 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Kneeling in prayer was first prompted by rever- 
ence and not the servile form into which it lias too 
much degenerated. A form is only a sign at best. If 
there is nothing to prompt the sign, what a mockery 
it is ! Truly, 4 the letter killeth but the spirit giveth 
life.’ 

“ Exactly how these thoughts came to me I can not 
tell, but after the silence I knew by a great and sudden 
wave of understanding, things that I had never thought 
of before, and to attempt to tell them would be like try- 
ing to catch the sunshine. The hint I have tried to 
give seems very far from the reality of my experience — 
but what are words compared to thoughts, any- 
way! . . . My heart is too full. I know now 

what £ inexpressible ’ means. 

“ Good bye, with love to all. 

“ Marion. 

“P. S. I had just finished my letter when Mrs. 
Dawn and Miss Singleton came in. They too, had 
something wonderful in the silence. It seems too 
sacred to tell, but to you three who are so earnestly 
seeking the way of Truth, I can say what might 
seem sacrilege to the thoughtless world. Miss Single- 
ton had realized in those few moments* the inexpress- 
ible meaning of the Lord’s prayer. ‘Why,’ she said, 
‘ why, if we could realize what it means, there would 
be no more sickness, sin or death. It seemed to me 
the very heavens opened, and I looked upon a broad 
white shining light like a path, only it was broadened 
and broadened as I looked, till it became wide enough 
to cover the whole earth. This is to be wherever the 


PRAYER. 


201 


kingdom has come upon earth. Wherever the thoughts 
are heavenly and pure there the Father is, there 
heaven, wholeness, health are, and I could realize that 
the light is here, but ignorance keeps it veiled, so that 
verily the ‘light shineth in darkness hut the darkness 
comprehendeth it not.’ Talk of sickness, trouble, sor- 
row, why, they are nothing! The light is here, the 
kingdom of heaven has come, and been here all the 
time. Jesus knew it, but he had to use language they 
could understand. He knew if they prayed faithfully 
in that spirit, bye and bye the spiritual meanings would 
flash upon them. Oh, how much, how much it means! 
I can never lose this, for it means unutterable things, and 
I know there is no reality in sickness for I am well /’ 

“ Miss Singleton is, or has been troubled for years 
with heart disease and a slight curvature of the spine. 

“ It was not very light in the room, and I had not 
noticed her figure particularly, but as she spoke, her 
face fairly shone with a heavenly light (I can think 
of nothing else to describe it), and she was straight as 
any one ! She declared over and over that she was 
well, but more than all else she appreciated the spirit- 
ual uplifting and knowledge that had come. 

“ Mrs. Dawn had no special revelation to-day, but 
she seems to be unfolding most beautifully. We talked 
a long time, and then sat in the silence. They have 
just gone. How I wish I could see you, but it is late 
and I must again close. Give my love to Grace and 
Kate. I am so glad Kate is getting into the light. I 
felt she would be all right after she begun. Of course, 
Kate, you will read this, but you will not care, I am 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


“Not till the soul acts with all its strength, strains its every 
faculty, does prayer begin.” 


— Frances Power Cobbe. 


J P HAVE always thought a great deal on the subject 
of prayer,” said Mr. Hayden, drawing his chair up 
closer and bending over to look at his listeners, Grace 
and Kate, who had called to get the letter which had 
just been read, and it appears to me,” he continued, 
“ that subject has been misunderstood.” 

“Well?” interrogated Grace. 

“Well, we have always been taught to pray to a God 
who could be informed of our wants and needs, and be 
induced to change Ilis mind about the method of deal- 
ing with them, or be softened in His judgments con- 
cerning His children. Now if God is all- wise and all- 
powerful, why need we so carefully instruct Him ? If 
He is all Love why need we ask Him with piteous tears 
to bless our sick and afflicted? If He is everywhere 
present, and no respecter of persons, why need we ask 
Him to do for one more than for another? As God is 
omniscient, is He not all the knowledge there is ?” 

“The great mistake has been to regard Deity as Per- 
son, instead of Principle,” said Grace, as he paused a 
moment. 

“ As God is changeless and eternal, the essence of 
Love and Life,” he went on, not heeding the interrup- 


EVER YDA Y PR A CTICE. 


tion, “ how can it be otherwise than that we have an 
influx of this divine Life into ourselves as we acknowl- 
edge its eternal and omnipresent existence, realizing 
the truth of what we say ?” 

“ There the trouble has been,” said Kate, taking 
up his thought, “that we have not realized the divine 
Presence which we call Truth, because we have not 
acknowledged it.” 

“That is exactly the reason, and it needs a constant 
acknowledgment of the Good to keep us from admit- 
ting false beliefs that beset us because of an acknowl- 
edgment of the opposite of the Good.” 

“What then is your idea of the true method of 
prayer ?” asked Kate, much interested. 

“More of thanksgiving, as Mrs. Pearl teaches. I 
like her comparison to the servant and prince. We 
can not dwell too much on the thought that God is 
always giving us blessings. They are here, have been 
from the beginning of all knowledge, and our part is to 
take them. I often think of that comparison between 
the earthly and the heavenly Father, given by Jesus, 
when he said : ‘ If ye then, being evil, know how to 

give good gifts unto your children, how much more 
shall your Father which is in heaven, give good things 
to them that ask Him?’ Here is Mabel, for instance. 
Passionately fond of flowers as she is, suppose some 
day I should bring her a rare bouquet from the florist’s, 
and with a smile hold them out to her, saying: ‘ Here 
Mabel, are some roses for you!’ How would I feel 
if she came with the most pathetic expression 
of longing and misery in her face, and dropping 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


down on her knees, should beg me to give her one 
flower ? But instead, like a true child that knows the 
father love, she would fly to take the beautiful gift and 
say, ‘ Oh, thank you, papa ! ’ as she gives me a raptur- 
ous kiss, then runs for a vase to hold her treasures.” 

“ Indeed, that is like the true child we all should 
become, and give thanks for the beautiful gifts of God,” 
said Kate, softly, as if to herself. 

“ What do you think of the Lord’s prayer as it was 
revealed to the lady ? ” asked Grace, to whom this part 
of the letter seemed a little hard to understand. 

“ I think her revelation far exceeds mine, but I have 
enough to know that it is as she says: ‘ We must finally 
get the inner meaning, but I would uncover the spirit- 
ual ideas by clothing them in more spiritual language.’ 

“It would be a great help if you would interpret it 
for us,” said Kate, moving her chair closer in her eager- 
ness to hear. 

“ Wait a moment,” said Mr. Hayden, as he went for 
the Bible. “ I don’t know very well how to word it, but 
the thought came to me this morning, and became 
much plainer after I had read the letter.” 

He read the Lord’s Prayer, then gave his conception 
of the spiritual meaning. 

“ All-pervading Father-Mother Spirit, which art in 
all harmony, revered and holy is Thy name. Thy 
peace and love and righteousness is conceived and real- 
ized amid earthly environments as it is in the highest 
state of harmony. 

“ Give to us each day the hidden manna, the living 
word that sustains us, and give us the truth for error as 


E VER Y-DA Y PR A CTICE. 


205 


we in our divine likeness to Thee, give truth for error 
to those who err against us. 

“ Leave or let us not in temptation, but preserve 
us from all thoughts that would dishonor Thee, for 
Thine is the kingdom and power and glory forever.” 

“ That is wonderful. Oh, how beautiful it all is,” 
exclaimed Kate with much feeling. 

“ Isn’t it ? ” added Grace, “ and quite in accord with 
the passage quoted by Mrs. Hayden , 4 what things soever 
ye desire, that — ’ ” 

“ Same principle, recognizing the omnipresence of 
all things good, and acknowledging the gift as already 
given,” interrupted Mr. Hayden, shutting his book and 
rising to put it away. 

44 How would you construe the passage where it 
says, 4 with prayer and supplication let your requests 
be made known to God?’ ” asked Kate. 

44 Oh, but you have not quoted it all : 4 With prayer 
and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be 
made known,’” replied Mr. Hayden, smiling. 44 It 
means, continue to ask, and expect to receive and give 
thanks, not only by word, but by proper use of what 
you already have. 4 If ye continue in my word,’ was 
the condition, so it must be that we continue to ask 
and give thanks, even if our petition is not visibly 
answered at once.” 

44 Mr. Hayden had some advantage in his study over 
the girls, for these things had been more or less consid- 
ered by himself and Mrs. Hayden ever since her recov- 
ery, and it was no wonder he could explain so readily. 

44 After all, how would you apply this way of 


206 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


praying to giving treatments?” asked Grace. “I am 
anxious for the practical application.” 

“Why, it is all practical, as far as the individual is 
concerned, but the application to others we have yet to 
learn, though I imagine it is the same. It is simply 
being negative to false conditions, thus putting them 
off, and affirmative to true conditions, absorbing them 
as the flower does the light and heat.” 

“ Well, it is a beautiful idea of prayer at any rate,” 
remarked Grace. 

They soon went home, still discussing and deeply 
pondering the subject. 

****** 

“ Grace, what do } T ou suppose I did to-day? ” cried 
Kate, breathlessly, as she rushed in the next evening. 

“Can’t imagine, unless you cured little Tim, the 
newsboy,” laughed Grace, making her guess extrava- 
gant enough. 

“No, but really, I treated Fannie for a dreadful 
headache. Of course I said nothing to her, but she was 
stumbling so over her music, 1 asked her what was the 
matter, and when she told me I treated her. In just a 
few moments she brightened up and said she felt bet- 
ter, and before we got through it was all gone. Wasn’t 
that delightful? ” 

“ Yer}", and I am so glad. IIow did you do it ? ” 

“Well, I can hardly tell, but the talk we had yes- 
terday with Mr. Hayden gave me a clearer idea than I 
had before, and I just denied the headache and ac- 
knowledged the truth that she was spiritually well; then 
waited a few moments and gave thanks that it was so.” 


EVERY DA Y PRACTICE . 


207 


“ How glad we ought to be for the privilege of read- 
ing Mrs. Hayden’s letters,” said Grace, thoughtfully, as 
she smoothed her hair and washed her hands. 

“Yes, and what a goose I was about it,” Kate re- 
plied. “ I would scarcely take the chance when it was 
offered, and if it had been any one but Mrs. Hayden, 
I do believe I should have refused point blank.” 

“We know so little what is right when we judge 
in the old way,” said Grace. “How, if I actually 
hadn’t seen that woman cured, and known positively 
how she was before, nothing would have induced me 
to spend my time on this, although, from the first, I 
rather liked the theory.” 

“ Where is my gingham apron ? ” called Kate, look- 
ing in the dark closet where she had hung it. 

“ Kate, I’m thoroughly reformed, as you will know 
when I tell you I am perfectly willing to perform the 
culinary duties to-night, and I will be the cook while 
you discourse some music for my edification,” laughed 
Grace, as she emerged from the studio with her sleeves 
rolled back, and the lost apron pinned around her. 

“ What ! ” cried Kate, holding up both hands with 
a mock-tragic air. “ Do you really mean it ?” 

“Of course, and I will show you what a talent I 
have for poaching eggs and making toast.” 

The girls were in the habit of dividing their work 
according to their personal tastes. Kate liked to pre- 
pare dainty meals and wash dishes, while Grace pre- 
ferred to sweep and dust, and arrange things to suit 
her artistic eye. Each disliked the other’s part of the 
work, so they were well content to have it so divided. 


208 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Go on, now,” ordered Grace, “ and play for me. 

I want some music ; but, first of all, tell me where the 
eggs are, and how long should they boilS” 

“ The eggs are in the tin pail on the third shelf in 
the closet. They should boil till they are a pretty 
blue white.” 

“Very well, now 1 can dispense with your com- 
pany.” 

Kate laughed merrily, and sitting down to the 
piano, played till Grace called her out to dine. 

“ It seems rather nice to come home and play lady,” 
she remarked, as she went out where Grace was. 

“Well, really, Kate, I was thinking this afternoon 
that there is not so much difference in the kinds of 
work as there is in the thoughts you have when you 
work, and I resolved, that to refrain from certain duties 
because one does not like them is selfish, and makes a 
person one-sided. Then I could see no reason why I 
should dislike to cook, and concluded to try it.” 

“ I believe you are right about the one-sided ness,” 
said Kate, soberly 

“ I do want to grow into a rounded character, and 
am just realizing the necessity of doing things that lie 
nearest us, whether it is washing dishes, painting or 
scrubbing. If I get so I can think right about things 
I’m sure I shall like them.” 

“ That is true. I have already noticed avast differ- 
ence in my patience in givinglessons. You know some 
days I would be so nervous and get so exasperated with 
Fannie Thornton and Jenny Miles, I didn’t know what 
to do with myself, but the last few days I have not 


E VER TEA 7 PR A CTICE. 


209 

minded them at ail, in fact I got along better with 
Fannie than ever before, and it was just because I kept 
from thinking she was contrary and stupid.” 

“Well, that is a practical application of your lesson. 
I think we ought to apply it to everything we do,” 
replied Grace. 

“ One of the chief beauties of Christian Science is 
that it goes into every thought and action,” said Kate, 
thoughtfully,- adjusting her hair. 

“ Oh! ” she added a moment later, “ I forgot to give 
you the letter that came to-day.” She pulled it out of 
her pocket all crumpled and gave it to Grace, who 
glanced at her name on the envelope and then grew 
white about the mouth as she hastily put it into her 
pocket, remarking in an ordinary tone, “It will keep 
a little longer.” 

Little was said by either for some time. Grace was 
preoccupied and Kate furtively watched her face, for 
this was an unaccountable procedure, although occa- 
sionally Grace had been affected the same way before. 

She insisted on washing the dishes, and was glad 
indeed that she had it to do, while Kate poured her 
thoughts into music, feeling that she could best show 
sympathy for her friend by this, to her, most expressive 
way. 

As for Grace, she waited till she had quite finished 
her work and then sat down to read the letter. She 
well knew it was from Leon Carrington, a suitor, whom 
she had rejected on the plea that she wished to be 
wedded solely to her art. Pride had forbidden her 
being frank enough to tell him the real reason, caused 


no 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


by an impeachment made against his character, by one 
whom she implicitly trusted as a friend. Her bitter 
resolve was the result, and while it was true she loved and 
desired to spend her life in pursuing her art, she had 
compelled herself to think she loved it best, and so told 
him it was first choice. 

Hers was a proud, deep nature, and rather than 
admit that she had loved or could love one whom she 
considered unworthy, she cut the matter short by a 
decided rejection. It had cost her a mighty effort to 
come to this decision, and when she came out of the 
trial, she had lost her faith in all men. 

On all other points but this, Grace was sound and 
sweet in her general disposition, but any talk on 
marriage she would never tolerate even with Kate. 

This was the third letter he had written in the two 
years since he went away, and as in the preceding, he 
fervently begged her to reconsider. 



CHAPTER XXV. 


“ Life hath its T4bor heights, 

Its lofty mounts of heavenly recognition, 

Whose unveiled glories flash to earth munition 
Of love, and truth, and clearer intuition : 

Hail ! mount of all delights ! ” 

— G. Gilbert. 

“ Marlow, September . 

OOP morning, dear ones all! I must tell you a 
little of yesterday before I go to the lesson to-day. 
We were not in class, and I staid in my room all day 
trying to solve the many questions that present them- 
selves to us all, and to claim a little more understand- 
ing. Many points became very much clearer after my 
long meditation in the silence. In the evening I ran 
down to see Mrs. Pawn, who is several blocks away. 
We were so interested, so completely absorbed in tell- 
ing our thoughts and experiences, that it was after 
eleven o’clock when I arose to go, and then she ac- 
companied me home, only intending to come part way, 
but as we passed a little low house about half way 
home, the door suddenly opened and a little girl of ten 
or twelve years ran out sobbing, ‘ The baby is dying ! 
the baby is dying ! ’ 

“ She was going up an outside stairway to inform a 
neighbor. We rushed into the house and found the 
frantic mother sobbing and wailing over her baby 
apparently in the last agonies of death. 

211 


212 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ ‘ What is it ? Can’t we do something for you ?’ 
we asked, not knowing what else to say. 

“ 4 Oh, my baby, my precious baby is dying ! Don’t 
you see ? she is almost gone ! ’ 

« Indeed, for an instant it seemed the little life had 
gone out, when, like a flash of lightning, the words 
came to my inner self, * There is mo death.’ 4 He that 
believeth on me shall not see death ; ’ 4 1 am the way 
the truth and the life.’ 4 Treat,’ I whispered to Mrs. 
Dawn, and soon the awful lie was denied by us in the 
peaceful silence of our own souls; for all conscious- 
ness of appearances had vanished as we denied death 
and its power, till we could command the waves of 
mortal thought to subside and say, 4 Peace, be still.’ 

44 It was the Master, the Christ within, who spoke 
for us, and we were filled with the mighty peace and 
calmness of Truth that worked through us and was 
immediately made manifest. The little face relaxed, 
the eyes lost their glassy stare, the color returned to 
the pale lips. 

44 The mother ceased her mourning and gazed at the 
precious child in awesome silence. The neighbor and 
the little girl who had come in, stood by in hushed 
amazement. For a while all felt the presence of 
the great invisible Power that had wrought so 
wondrous a work in their midst, although no one 
knew but ourselves what had been done. Presently 
the mother leaned back in her chair with a sigh of 
relief, awaiting the doctor, for whom her husband had 
gone before we entered the house. We waited till he 
came, and then quietly slipped out. 


UNDERSTANDING. 


213 


“ Mrs. Dawn came clear home with me, and we 
found our thoughts and feelings had been almost iden- 
tical in this remarkable experience, showing the oneness 
of truth. It is something we shall never forget, for it 
was indeed from the very depths of our being we 
were stirred and thrilled with the mighty Principle. 

“ This morning I went to see the baby, and found 
it quite bright and happy, but still breathing a little 
heavily. The M. D. had left medicine, and of course, 
they were giving it ‘ according to directions.’ I told the 
mother something of the Science, and she readily 
acknowledged that something mysterious had saved 
her child’s life, because it certainly was dying as much 
as the child she had lost years ago. 

“ ‘After you left last night, the neighbor who was 
here said like as not you were Christian Scientists 
whatever that is, but she did not believe a word in it, 
and that it was all nonsense, but I told her I didn’t 
care. I thought you saved my baby, and the doctor 
said it had grown much better since he came. ‘Well/ 
says 1, 4 ef you had seen her condition when the ladies 
came in, you would say she is better.’ 

“ < Oh, we won’t argue about what made her better, 
whether medicine or something else; all we want now 
is to have the child cured,’ said the doctor, very kind- 
like, and I really thought a great deal better of him 
than I had before, for most M. D.’s think they know 
every thing,’ she said. 

“I was so glad to find she acknowledged even 
this much, so I talked a little longer, and explained the 
necessitv of perfect trust in God, and the consequences 


THE RIGHT KNOCK . 


of distrust in Him. She seemed very responsive and 
ready to believe, but then, who would not believe after 
such a demonstration ? I have felt awed and hushed all 
the morning, remembering the mighty something surg- 
ing through me. It seems hard to believe that at last 
my desire to have some grand sign shown me is already 
fulfilled. 

“Mrs. Pearl talked beautifully this afternoon on 
understanding. I wish you could hear the lectures as 
she gives them, with all her grace and beauty and 
impressiveness. Here is the essence of the lesson : 

“ As we evolve from material to spiritual under- 
standing, we put ourselves more and more into the 
divine current of Life, Health, Goodness, which is God. 
The higher our ideal, the higher our attainment. Be- 
lieving in God as supreme Love, we find it impossible 
to conceive of wrath, jealousy, revenge, as emanating 
from or existing in Him, Her or It. As we are filled 
with love, it becomes universal. Everybody is judged 
by its tender charity, everything is tinged with its warm 
radiance. 

“ As Paul so beautifully wrote : ‘ Love suffereth 

long and is kind, love envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is 
not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh 
not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of 
evil, rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth in 
the truth. . . . Love never faileth.’ If this be a 

standard by which to judge the love of men, how much 
more appropriately might it judge God, who is love 
itself. 

“ In proportion as we are freed from the ignorance 


UNDERSTANDING. 


215 


and narrowness of primitive, ancient opinions concern- 
ing God, we shall rise to broader and tenderer and 
truer conceptions of Him. To the warm, sympathetic 
heart; that knows the deepest needs of humanity, the 
‘ mercy that endureth forever 5 is an established fact of 
the universal Love. To understand this Love is to be 
at one with it, to do the works and think the thoughts 
of Love. It is essential, then, first to understand the law 
of effort, then faith, then love, then spiritual understand- 
ing, which is the goal toward which we all hasten — 
understanding of all spiritual things, understanding of 
God, who is all spirit. As we make the effort we 
receive faith, as we use faith we grow in the power and 
capacity of love, and love brings us the fullness of all 
things, even understanding of infinite wisdom. Every 
glimpse of truth we have ever had, every glorious 
breath of freedom, is but a hint of what will be when 
we have ‘ awakened to righteousness . 5 

“ We gain our knowledge by and through the law 
of right speaking and consequently right acting. In 
the Bible, the New Testament especially, great stress 
is laid upon the power of words. Solomon wrote, 

* How forcible are right words . 5 ‘ Life and death are 
in the power of the tongue , 5 and from St. Paul we hear, 
‘Hold fast the form of sound words ; 5 and James 5 
admonition, ‘Be ye doers of the word and not hearers 
only , 5 show that both considered it necessary to speak 
the word if they would manifest its power. 

“ But there is another and a holier office given to 
the word and that is the office of atonement. The 
original meaning of atone was to ‘ make at-one, to agree, 


216 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


to be in accordance, to accord.’ To be at-one with a 
person is to be in such perfect sympathy that the 
thoughts of both are the thoughts and feelings of one. 

“ Another illustration would be to say Of a chip 
thrown into the river, it is at-one with the current. In 
this sense we should aim to be so at-one with the divine 
Principle that we may say with Jesus, ‘ I am one with 
the Father,’ for did he not say: ‘ They are not of this 
world even as I am not of this world,’ and ‘ That they 
may be one even we are one.’ 

“To speak absolute Truth is to come into the true 
at-one-ment, to be at one with the divine Mind, to real- 
ize that Christ the Truth is the atoning power. The 
Christ is the impersonal Word of Truth which we 
are to speak, for ‘unto us hath been committed the 
word of reconciliation ’ or atonement. 

“When we think true thoughts and catch true ideas, 
when we understand true meanings and love true 
knowledge, we are sustained by the living word which 
sustains all who speak and live it, because we are truly 
at one with the divine Word. 

“Knowing the meaning of Christ to be Truth, 
blood to be life or word, and sin to be error, we catch 
the spiritual meaning of the phrase ‘sins washed away 
by the blood of Christ,’ which is, sins or errors washed 
away by the word of Truth. 

“In that wonderful sermon in the sixth chapter of 
John, Jesus used the term blood as a symbol of his 
words, and emphatically told his disciples, when they 
persisted in taking his sayings literally, ‘the flesh profit- 
eth nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are 
spirit and they are life.’ 


UNDERSTANDING. 


217 


“ That the Bible writers used the figurative language 
of those times, must be taken into account when read- 
ing points that have been made foundation doctrines. 
Owing to the ancient custom of sacrificing animals to 
appease the wrath of God, whom they regarded as 
subject to anger, jealousy or any human passion, they 
used figurative language when describing Jesus as the 
Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world. 

“ In one of the inspired moments of the prophet, 
when he apprehended God as a God of Love, he cried 
out, ‘ I have desired mercy and not sacrifice ; and the 
knowledge of God more than burnt offering.’ It is 
the knowledge of God, the word of truth, that will 
save, and the only sacrifice is the sacrifice of self which 
makes the atonement possible. 

“ To fast from all selfishness is to keep the true fast, 
so beautifully described in the fifty-eighth chapter of 
Isaiah ‘ Is it not to loose the bands of wickedness, to 
undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, to 
break every yoke? Then shall thy light break forth 
as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth 
speedily.’ Here is the fruit of atonement, the result of 
understanding, for understanding God and being at 
one with God, is in reality the same. As we under- 
stand God we shall be at one with Him, and to be at 
one with God is to be whole, for He is Holiness, whole- 
ness health. ‘ If thine eye be single, then shall thy 
whole body be full of light.’ To be single in recogniz- 
ing the one Mind, one Power, one Creation is to be 
filled with light, which is life, which is health, for as 
the mind, consciousness, becomes illuminated, the body 


218 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


responds by recording the history of thought upon the 
visible page or body. 

“ It is the revealment of God that we seek, and our 
individual relation to Him. What more is there for us 
to know after we know Him, for is not He all there 
really is? He has given many marvelous signs to His 
children, who must be taught in simple childish ways 
and the 4 still small voice ’ is ever near, speaking to 
whomsoever will listen. It is the inner guide, the 
‘spirit of truth that guides us into all truth.’ Then we 
are ‘ clothed upon,’ we have returned to our Father’s 
house and the feast is spread, the rejoicing has begun. 

“For awhile our only conception of power, is invis- 
ible manifestations or feelings, but there comes a time 
when ‘ to be alone with silence is to be alone with God,’ 
when joy is unutterable, and love the very potency of 
silence, when we wait with bated breath and let the 
divine Thought surge through us, when we put away 
all material beliefs and stand glorified in the ‘ secret of 
His Presence.’ Then indeed are we baptized of the 
spirit, and in the silent chamber of our new conscious- 
ness may we hear the blessed words, ‘Thou art my 
beloved son.’ 

“ No longer ‘ Thou shalt and thou shalt not,’ but 
the sweet affirmation of sonship, of daughtership, of the 
precious benediction of a Father’s love. Then glad light 
rushes into every dark crevice of our mind. We see as 
we never saw before, we understand as we never under- 
stood before, we speak as we never spoke before, we live as 
we never lived before, because we have been lifted out of 
the depths of ignorance to the radiant heights of the 


UNDERSTANDING. 


m 


Promised Land, because we hear the angel saying as of 
old, 4 Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he 
will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and 
God himself shall be with them and be their God . . . 
and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and 
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, 
neither shall there be any more pain, for the former 
things are passed away . 5 Finally, oh my fcusband, 
because we have been born again, and so find our- 
selves within the royal gates, the palace doors open 
to receive us and the insignia of royalty written upon 
our faces, for we shall be stamped with the signs of 
understanding, and know, as Jesus did, 4 it is not I, 
but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the 
works.’ 

44 Then, as the beauteous sunlight bathes and blesses 
all the world with its effulgent glory, so will the light 
of Truth, known as understanding, shine through us 
and turn pain into peace, sadness into joy, sickness 
into health, error into truth. 

‘Wisdom ripens into silence, 

And the lesson she doth teach, 

Is, that life is more than language, 

And that thought is more than speech.’ 

44 How I long for this ultimate experience ! How I 
yearn for the fullness of this knowledge now; for the 
ripened wisdom that shall unlock the doors of my own 
consciousness, but I know, dear, this will come to us if 
we are faithful to the few little steps we know, no 
matter how we stumble and fail in taking them. Oh, 
that we may reach out to all the world in the sweet 
ministry of 4 peace on earth, good will to men.’ 


THE RIG II T KNOCK. 


“ You say ‘ there is a rift in the clouds for you, too, 
and the vague something which sometimes loomed up 
in your horizon is gone.’ How glad I am, no words can 
tell. What a change there will be ! The old past shall 
be sweetened and sanctified by the new present, and 
only the good memories shall remain. 

“What a blessed comfort in this thought, ‘the Lord 
shall be thy rear ward.’ We have nothing to do with 
the past, for it shall be utterly annulled. The Truth 
has erased it, and it is swallowed up in the good in pro- 
portion as we recognize only the Good. This thought 
is a great consolation to me when I recall the hasty 
words I used to say when my temper got the better of 
me. Oh, that old failing ! I hope it is forever van- 
quished — but there, I must not forget to be scientific, 
and of course it is not scientific to talk of error in any 
way. 

Jamie is a dear little scamp, if he did try to break 
the rules and get something to eat between meals by 
playing prairie dog. It must have been very funny to 
see him sitting in the attitude of a begging dog, mutely 
appealing for something, and being obliged at last to 
suggest that there was candy on the top shelf. Even 
my heart would have softened for the innocent little 
trickster. 

“ Well, really, we must try to give the children the 
liberty we older children desire and insist upon having 
in such a headstrong way. Bless my little darlings ! 
They shall realize the absence of fear, the presence of 
love in their home, which we must strive more and 
more to make typical of the great Home in which we 
are all members. 


UNDERSTANDING. 


“ I feel that they are clearer now than ever. My 
love is more unselfish, and I can really feel that they 
are truly consecrated to the Good, because I know how 
to hold them in the thought of the Good, how to annul 
the opposite influences and fill their minds with the 
sweet, pure, ennobling realizations of Love. Meekly I 
say this, because I knoAV not my own strength, or 
rather I know not how much divine strength I may 
recognize and use, but this is the right path, and I ear- 
nestly desire to walk in it. 

“ You know some people say (in their ignorance, of 
course) that Christian Science breaks up families. Oh, 
if they could only know, on the other hand, how it 
strengthens the bonds, how it clears up misunderstand- 
ings and falsities, how it teaches us the sacredness of 
family relations, and brings us into spiritual oneness, 
which is the only true marriage. 

“ Spiritual light has come to me on this subject 
which can not be put into words, but some time you will 
know what I know, and we shall both be blessed by 
the knowledge. 

“ Peace be unto all God’s children. 

“ Your loving 


“ Marion.” 


CHAPTER XXVI. 


M If thou art worn and hard beset, 

With troubles that thou would’st forget, 

If thou would’st read a lesson that will keep 
Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep, 

Go to the woods and hills ! No tears 
Dim the sweet look that Nature wears.” 

— II. W. Longfellow. 

i pf^ RACE was in deep perplexity. She pondered 
her problem over and over, and though in reality 
she felt more like flinging pride to the winds than ever 
before, she was not able to formulate or even con- 
sciously name her thoughts. A strange, unsettled 
feeling possessed her. She wondered at herself that 
she did not contemptuously throw this letter of Leon 
Carrington’s into the fire, as she had the other two, but 
for some reason did not do so. All night she was 
uneasy and slept but little. The next morning she 
announced to Kate that she would spend the day at 
Rosewood, sketching. 

What the trouble was, Kate could only surmise, 
but wisely held her peace feeling instinctively that 
now was no time for questions. She was relieved to 
hear of the prospective recreation, for Grace always 
came back from these trips with so much fresh inspira- 
tion, and renewed enthusiasm. 

It was a beautiful day, one of those mild, hazy days 
of October that seem made to teach humanity some 


A NEW PROBLEM . 


of its most sacred lessons. Nature is the best of 
teachers if we know how to read her mystic pages, her 
many and varied beauties, her wide diversities of 
expression, her fine subtlety of language, for she is 
the handmaid of Truth, inasmuch as she holds before 
our admiring eyes pictures of Truth and its wondrous 
laws. If we can interpret the pictures, we are wiser 
and better and happier. 

Grace was ever ready to listen to the oracles of 
nature, but now they held a sweeter message than ever 
before, and she keenly anticipated the pleasure in store 
for her as she seated herself in the car and disposed of 
her sketching materials for the half hour’s ride to Rose- * 
wood, a pretty little woodland station near Hampton. 

She generally walked the mile and a half to the 
farmhouse in the edge of the woods, where she had 
made the acquaintance of a kind hearted old lady, who 
loaned her a great Newfoundland dog belonging to 
the house, for company in her rambles. 

Mrs. Clayland was rejoiced to see her, for it had 
been several weeks since Grace had called, and she 
was eager to tell her of the great tree up in the ravine 
that had been blasted by the lightning, and about the 
beautiful little waterfall caused by the Cherry Creek 
freshet. 

Grace listened patiently as she rested, and asked 
questions that she had asked many times before, 
because it pleased the old lady to tell of all the beau- 
tiful spots and dainty bits of landscape in her vicinity. 
That was next to being the artist. 

Prince stood by, looking with intelligent eyes, first 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


at the visitor and then at his mistress, wagging his tail 
wistfully as though eager to be off, for he seemed to 
realize that this was liis holiday too. 

“ Are you ready to go, Prince?” asked Grace, pat- 
ting the dog on the head as she looked into his great 
brown eyes. 

Prince licked his mouth and pushed his nose close 
under her hand while his tail' wagged violently. “ Yes, 
of course he is. I wish my old limbs would let me 
go too, but I can’t even hobble to-day for the rheuma- 
tism has been dreadful the last week,” said Mrs. Clay- 
land, as she wiped her spectacles. 

Grace hardly knew what to say, for here was just 
the place for a little sympathy, and yet she must shut 
her eyes to false beliefs and conditions, so she wisely 
talked of the beautiful day, the warm air, and what 
not, while secretly resolving that Mrs. Clayland should 
be her first patient if she ever knew how to treat 
patients according to Christian Science. In the mean 
time, she would give her some thoughts. 

While Mrs. Clayland volubly rattled on, talking of 
all her aches and pains, Grace was doing her best to 
think of the very opposite statement, that she was 
well. 

At last, however, with Prince trotting gaily in 
front of her, she began her rambles in earnest. She 
knew of a beautiful view from one of the hills near 
by, and slowly wended her way thitherward. The 
hush and quiet of the place seemed such a relief after 
the troubled hours of the past night, and as she came 
to the gentle slope of the grassy hill, she threw her- 


A NEW PROBLEM. 


self into the soft warm grass, in the shade of a stately 
elm that stood there alone, and gave herself up to 
thinking — thinking of the deepest and most sacred 
problems in human experience. 

Prince came and laid himself at her feet. The soft 
autumn sunshine played here and there upon her form 
and face through the leaves, while the occasional note 
of a bird or hum of an insect were the only sounds that 
broke the stillness of the lonely place. What an ex- 
quisite pleasure to lie there and breathe in all this won- 
derful peace, for it was like a taste of heaven. Far 
away from all perplexities and cares, she could have 
lost herself in sweet forgetfulness but for this one theme 
that would persist in thrusting itself upon her. At last 
it had resolved itself into the form of a question. Should 
she or should she not write to Leon Carrington? 
Might it not be possible she had been misinformed, 
and that she was mistaken in her hasty conclusions ? 

Life presented a different aspect now from what it 
had two years ago. She was more lenient in her judg- 
ments, more charitable in her opinions, more softened 
in her pride; changed more than she ever realized 
until she began the self-examination on this point. To 
be sure she had desired to change in these respects, 
since she had seen a glimpse of the possibilities of 
Christian life. She had denied all qualities of character 
in herself that seemed undesirable, and had affirmed 
charitableness, patience, wisdom, but that she could 
ever have changed her mind on this subject seemed 
incredible and utterly inconsistent. 

And yet, what could she say to him ? She had no 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


answer, certainly no encouragement. The only tiling 
she could do would be to tell him frankly what her 
thought and judgment had been, without going into 
details, and learn the truth of the matter ; but that, she 
would never do. Whatever injury she had inflicted 
through her silent, erroneous thoughts should be as 
silently redressed by her best and most generous ones. 

Over an hour she lay there, no nearer the solution 
of her problem than when she began. It was getting 
late, and she rose hurriedly, shook the leaves and grass 
from her dress, and opening her sketch book, set to 
work. 

An opening to the left in the woods revealed a view 
of lovely meadows and wooded hills, clothed in all the 
gorgeous robes of autumn, with a misty blue haze 
enshrouding them, and gleams of a silvery river wind- 
ing through meadow and woodland. She rapidly 
sketched the outlines, studied the beauteous blending 
of tints, and wondered meanwhile, what particular 
lesson she could learn or give by this beautiful picture. 
Again she looked at the scene before her. Suddenly 
there came into her mind some lines she had often 
admired : 

“ Oh, the peace at the heart of Nature, 

Oh, the light that is not of day ! 

Why seek it afar forever, 

When it can not be lifted away ? ” 

Ah, here was the key. “The peace of Nature,” 
typical of divine peace, “The Light not of day,” divine 
Light itself. How sweet the thought, how precious 
the lesson ; and the divine Peace and Light are indeed 


A NEW PROBLEM . 


227 

forever here. Could she throw such a divine message 
into her prospective painting? Could she make every 
form and color, every hint of light and shadow, tell the 
sweet story, as this living picture told it? Surely, the 
heart that overflows with an inbreathing of the divine, 
must be able to teach the common heart of humanity, 
else what is the use of inspiration? 

On her way back to the house, Grace passed the 
blasted tree, described by Mrs. Clayland, but she had 
no desire to study destruction or death. It was life, 
living things, that she would portray. Was there not 
beauty and grandeur everywhere, hinting of Infinity ? 
Even the noisy and monotonous waterfall now had a 
message for her as it rushed forcefully on its course, 
regardless of any and all obstructions. 

It was quite late when Grace and Prince returned, 
much later than she supposed, so that she missed the 
train and had to wait for the next, several hours later. 
Mr. Clayland kindly volunteered to take her to the 
station, an offer she was very glad to accept. 

The lamps were already lighted when she entered 
the car. She slipped into the first vacant seat, but 
caught a glimpse of a face several seats in front of her 
that made her heart beat hurriedly and her breath 
come quick and fast for a few moments. 

She resolutely avoided looking anywhere but out of 
the window, and at the end of her journey quietly but 
quickly disappeared in the surging crowd. 


CHAPTER XXVII. 


“Let me not dwell so much within 

My bounded heart with anxious heed. 

Where all my searches meet with doubt. 

And nothing satisfies my need ; 

It shuts me from the sound and sight 
Of that pure world of life and light 
Which has no breadth, or length, or height.” 

— A. L. Waring. 

F ATE had long ago become accustomed to these 
uncertain movements of Grace, and was there- 
fore not alarmed at her prolonged absence. She sat 
in a cozy chair, reading the last letter from Mrs. Hay- 
den, when Grace entered. 

“ What makes you look so sober, Gracious ? ” she 
asked, tenderly, after the hat and sketch book were laid 
aside and they had settled themselves for their usual 
chat. 

“ Oh, Kate, I had a lovely time to-day, with all the 
beautiful sights out in the country ; I wish you could 
see how much more there is in nature since we have 
studied Christian Science,” was the evasive reply. 

“1 think we see more in everything,” said Kate, 
whose curiosity was rather piqued by the evasiveness, 
though she made no sign, “ because everything stands 
for something. It is like the x in algebra, and interest- 
ing as the unknown quantity.” 


UNDERCURRENTS. 


229 


Grace smiled a little. She was thinking of a dif- 
ferent kind of 44 unknown quantity.” 

“ Don’t you want to hear Mrs. Hayden’s letter ? ” 
asked Kate, wondering more and more over the distrait 
manner and dreamy absorption of her friend. 

“ The letter, why, of course ; where is it ? ” 

44 Here ; shall I read it ? ” 

44 Certainly.” 

Grace grew more interested as the reading went on. 
“ That is decidedly the most reasonable explanation of 
the atonement I have ever heard,” she exclaimed at 
the close. 

“ Yes, it is reasonable and beautiful I must admit,” 
said Kate, 44 but when I first read the letter my old 
fear came back for a moment that possibly it was all 
wrong, but I remembered my right to an interpreta- 
tion. That one thought has been more helpful to me 
than any other, for it has brought such a sense of lib- 
erty. Then I looked up the quotation about the 
4 word of reconciliation,’ and I must say it is so per- 
fectly plain I can not see why it has been so overlooked 
and neglected before.” 

44 Where is it ? I did not catch that,” said Grace, 
following Kate’s finger as she pointed to the passage in 
the Bible. 

44 There is something so sacred in these meanings,” 
resumed Kate, 44 and if I may only get the truth, I care 
not what any one says about it. I see now wherein 
lies the whole misconception or misinterpretation 
rather. It is in the idea of God. If we conceive of 
Him as limited to human ways and capacities, as the 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


ancient Hebrews did, we naturally ascribe such works 
to Him.” 

44 In other words,” added Grace, 44 we judge God 
entirely b} r ourselves. If we are broad and loving in 
our nature and character it is easy for us to regard 
God as love. If we are vindictive and revengeful, we 
can readily see Him as angry and unrelenting.” 

44 Yes, we are so apt to judge the whole world and 
God, too, by our moods,” replied Kate, thoughtfully. 

“ As Emerson says, 4 we see in others what we are 
ourselves,’ ” quoted Grace, removing her jacket which 
until now she had retained in order to get warm after 
her evening journey. 

“ Oh ! what do you think of what Mrs. Hayden says 
about marriage ? ” asked Kate, putting her pencil in 
her mouth as she held both hands out to assist Grace. 

“ She doesn’t say enough to give an opinion,” replied 
Grace, “ but there must be something in her mind or 
she would not write about it now.” 

44 Her ideas must be very exalted, and I hope to 
know what they are, for it is a very important ques- 
tion,” said Kate, with a casual glance toward her com- 
panion, as she bit the end of the pencil. 

44 Mrs. Hayden decidedly denies the imputation laid 
to Christian Science, that it is opposed to marriage, or 
that it tends to separate families,” said Grace, with 
more interest than Kate would have thought possible a 
week ago. 

44 1 did not know any such imputation had been laid 
to it,” rejoined Kate, opening her eyes in astonish- 
ment. 


UNDERCURRENTS. 


231 


“ Oh, yes, I have heard it several times, but people 
will talk whether they know anything or not. I am 
glad Mrs. Hayden mentions it for that is enough to 
show there is absolutely no foundation for such state- 
ments.” Grace moved her chair and put her elbow on 
the table so she might shade her eyes with her hand. 

“ Why, I don’t see how people can say such things ; 
surely the tendency is to draw families into closer bonds 
of sympathy and%affection,” exclaimed Kate, in ques- 
tioning innocence. 

“ It ought to be,” replied Grace, thoughtfully, “and 
undoubtedly is,” she added. 

“What do you think of this question, Grace?” 
Kate ventured to ask. At any other time she would 
not have dared approach the subject, but Grace seemed 
more pliable to-night for some reason. 

“What question?” asked Grace, rousing from her 
reverie. “ Oh, marriage. Well, sometimes I have 
thought the query going the rounds of the press, ‘ Is 
marriage a failure? ’ a very pertinent one, but of course 
that doesn’t touch the principle itself. That is right 
and can never be otherwise.” 

« Most people talk and write as seriously as though 
it does touch the principle.” 

“ That is because they judge the principle by the 
persons representing it, whereas they should stop and 
consider that humanity is prone to weakness and often 
fails to demonstrate its high ideals.” 

“ And it is because of failure they think there is 
something wrong. Take an individual case, for instance, 
and there are thousands. If a girl marries unhappily, 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


she thinks there must be something wrong in the 
whole system, for she judges everybody’s misery by 
her own,” said Kate, secretly wishing Grace would be 
more confidential, and not so coldly intellectual. 

“ Then the way to a happy judgment of this ques- 
tion would be a happy marriage, you think ? ” laughed 
Grace, with a faint blush, looking up inquiringly. 

“Don’t trifle Grace. You know I said it all 
earnestly, and really it is no matte^to trifle over, any 
way.” 

“Well, that is true, Kate,” replied Grace more 
soberly. “ I don’t believe anybody takes the question 
seriously enough. It is certainly the most important 
of all things to consider.” 

“ Do you think it right to enter marriage for any 
other reason than pure and devoted affection ? ” per- 
sisted Kate. 

“No, I do not. Why do } T ou ask?” demanded 
Grace rather sharply. 

“Because that is the solution of the whole problem. 
If they would begin to talk about love instead of 
marriage being a failure, they would get some light on 
it,” a little impatiently. 

Grace looked up in surprise. 

“ I know,” continued Kate, “ it is because people are 
mistaken or misled in their reasons for marriage, that 
it even has a semblance of failure.” 

“ That is one reason, certainly, and another is that 
they do not understand each other’s motives, or have 
not the patience to bear with each other’s faults. We 
can easily see how misunderstandings can be put away 


UNDERCURRENTS. 


when there is true love, when we determine to see only 
the good, and learn to ‘resist not evil.’ That is one of 
the strong points in Christian Science teachings,” said 
Grace with unwonted earnestness. 

“ I am so sorry people can’t see it in the right 
light,” added Kate, regretfully. 

“ You can have much charity for them, for it is just 
what you would have said or thought, if you had not 
studied the matter yourself. You remember how Mr. 
Narrow influenced you and biased your judgment?” 

“Yes, and I see as never before that the ‘Truth 
makes us free.’ 

* He is a freeman whom the truth makes free. 

And all are slaves besides, ’ ” 

said Grace, as she reached for the sketch book to look 
over her work of the afternoon. 

“ It is no use, she never will say anything, even 
when she might,” thought Kate as she reviewed the 
events of the past few days. She half reproached 
herself for allowing anything to take her mind from 
the one special theme in which at last she had become 
thoroughly interested. She was eager to learn, to 
search in all directions for the meaning of things. 
Slowly the little grain of faith was growing into the 
mighty tree. 

Enchanting Truth so round, so perfect, so beautiful, 
— no wonder we must reach out in every direction for 
the knowledge of thy fair signs that we may more 
correctly and more fully realize the perfect revealment 
of our own divinity. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 


“What a great power is the power of thought! And what a 
grand being is man when he uses it aright; because after all, it 
is the use made of it that is the important thing. Character 
comes out of thought. ' As a man thinketh in his heart, so 
he is.’ ” — Sir Walter Raleigh. 

“ Marlow, October . 

® EAK HUSBAND : I was just thinking of you 
all when the letter carrier came this morning 
and gave me a welcome surprise, for your letters usually 
come in the afternoon. It seems too wonderful to 
believe about the children, and yet I can see it is their 
implicit faith that makes their words so potent. 

“They are doing their part to help too, for every one 
in the world, large or small helps in greater or lesser 
measure to carry out the plans of the invisible Good. 

“ I dreamed of being at home last night, and it 
seemed as though you were all so happy and busj\ 
You did not see me. Even little Jem was busilv 
engaged in some kind of work. I could scarcely see 
what it was, but a vague white something like an 
invisible net was spread between you, and the thought 
came that you and Anna were weaving something, and 
even the children had a part to fulfill for they flitted 
to and fro, bringing something to you with faces so 
full of light and happiness, I almost cried out with 

joy. 

“ When I awoke I was deeply impressed that this 
was a symbol of united effort in making the seamless 

23k 


TIIE POWER OF THOUGHT. 


robe of Truth, and the family group represented the 
members of one body, each with a work to do to per- 
fect the whole. 

“ No matter how humble our part may be, no 
matter how childish and incompetent we feel, by doing 
the best we know, with the ability we have, in all joy 
and earnestness, we shall be serving the Master and 
weaving the marvelous robe. 

“ Mrs. Pearl talked of the mighty power of thought 
in her lecture to-day. 

“Every individual in the universe is inseparably 
connected with every other individual, and we are, as it 
were, ‘touching elbows’ with the whole world. 

“How is it done? Simply by thinking and being 
susceptible to thought. Every thought of the individ- 
ual helps to make or mar the happiness and health of 
the world. Every negative thought (and by that I 
mean opposite the good, which is positive) sent forth, 
goes into the miasmatic fog of error, and whoever believes 
in error or the reality of these thoughts, attracts to 
himself this quality of thought, which sooner or later, 
makes itself manifest in physical inharmony. 

“ For instance, one who believes in the reality of 
sickness and the reality of evil is constantly attracting 
thoughts that make sickness manifest, but if a knowl- 
edge of how to throw off or counteract those thoughts 
were used, the cloud would be dispelled before it turned 
into inharmony or sickness. 

“ This is why we are taught to deny every thought 
or feeling that is not harmonious or desirable, every- 
thing which can not be predicated of spirit. If this is 


836 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


what makes sickness and sin, truly it is not to be won- 
dered at, for how many are perfectly happy, perfectly 
unselfish and kind, one single day at a time ? 

“Suppose one gets up in the morning with a feeling 
of crossness and impatience; he goes to breakfast, 
impresses the whole family with his discomfort, and so 
through the entire day leaves the imprint of his dark 
forebodings on every person who sees him, besides the 
untold influence that goes forth to the unprotected 
world, inasmuch as thoughts go everywhere. 

“lie retires at night, disgusted with himself and 
displeased with the whole world. People were unkind 
and unjust. Even inanimate objects were unusually 
aggravating. He wasted half an hour trying to untie 
a knot, hunted for a package of papers which were 
finally found in their proper place, had a vexing ten 
minutes with his office key, etc. 

“ Every impatient thought, word or action was an 
expenditure, not only of physical force, but a loss of 
moral strength, and just as surely as the w r orld moves, 
these thoughts, in their revolving circuit, constantly 
return to the thinker, ‘Whatsoever ye sow, that shall 
ye also reap.’ 

“Who knows what dark trains of thought his 
lowering face suggested? Who knows what head- 
aches and heartaches were brought on by the uncon- 
scious absorption of his impatience or bitterness ? Who 
can measure the extent of that mysterious burden of 
depression, so often called ‘ the blues,’ that crept into 
the consciousness of somebody under the influence of 
the dark thoughts sent out by this one, of whom per- 
chance they know nothing ? 


THE POWER OF THOUGHT. 


237 


“ It is this negative quality of thought that holds 
the world in bondage. To destroy it is to destroy all 
inharmony. On the other hand, note the influence of 
the happy-voiced individual, who comes to us so run- 
ning over with the joy and beauty of life that we catch 
the thrilling inspiration of his mood and begin to enjoy 
the same sunshine, see the same beauty and feel the 
same happiness. 

“ One look or one word may often send us off into 
the most delightful reveries, may inspire us to write a 
cheery letter, vibrating with love and hope, or prompt 
us to spend half an hour with one who needs the bath 
of joy our words may bring. Consciously and uncon- 
sciously we lighten the pathway, lift the burdens, 
sanctify the sorrows of the world by sending out and 
receiving this subtle thread of thought, so fine in its 
essence and quality, that any one and every one may 
feel its strengthening presence. 

“ It is the negative or mortal thought that produces 
disease. See how grief bends and breaks the strongest 
constitutions, furrows the cheek, dims the eye, takes 
the appetite, impairs the mind. See how anger cank- 
ers everything it touches, how jealousy corrodes the 
thoughts with poisoned arrows, until the body is writ- 
ten over with letters of unmistakable meaning. 

“ The body is what we may call the thermometer of 
the mind and registers the quality of thought. Uni- 
versal beliefs in error find their common expression on 
the body. Every thought of sickness, sin or discourage- 
ment is recorded or bodied forth. 

“ With all our belief in and fear of evil, sickness 
and death, we are continually subjecting ourselves to 


TUE RIGHT KNOCK. 


false and undesirable conditions, until, as Job said, 4 Lo, 
the thing that I feared has come upon me.’ 

“Fear is more quickly productive of disease pictures 
than any other kind of thought. Some one has aptly 
said, ‘ if the human race were freed from fear, it would 
be free from sickness,’ which is verily true. Even the 
most learned doctors of medicine admit that an epi- 
demic takes hold of those first who are most afraid, and 
frequently leaves the absolutely fearless unmolested. 

“Why is this so? Because fear weakens the power 
of mental control, and consequently weakens the body. 
To leave the doors unlocked, and then watch for the 
thief, is almost equal to having the thief in the house. 

“The material scientist says an epidemic has a 
material cause; the Christian Scientist says it has a 
mental cause. Before there is an object to fear there 
must be the sentiment of fear. Let scarlet fever appear 
in a community, and every parent will immediately 
send out the most agonizing thoughts of fear. Where 
will they go? Everywhere, because thoughts can not 
be restrained. Their influence goes out in every direc- 
tion. To the tender children especially, because par- 
ticularly directed to them. All who have left the door 
open to fear, though they may be sleeping in their un- 
consciousness of danger, will be liable to receive these 
uncontrolled thoughts, and some day when they least 
expect or fear sickness, it may be upon them. 

“ So the children, to whom have been directed such 
thoughts, only prove their susceptibility to them, by 
picturing forth fear in the form of scarlet fever, or 
whatever may have been the naming of the error. 
Anybody manifesting sickness without consciousness of 


THE PO WER OF THOUGHT. 230 

fear proves passive or unconscious fear, while those 
suffering sickness through a conscious recognition and 
fear of sickness are manifesting active or conscious 
fear. 

“There are two departments of mind sometimes 
spoken of as the conscious and unconscious. The con- 
scious mind is the conscious thought, which is easily 
swayed or changed. It has an immediate or direct 
influence on the body as is shown by the the blood 
that rushes to or recedes from the face at some sudden 
change of thought. The unconscious mind is the 
aggregation of past individual and universal conscious 
thought, and is the character formed, the second nature 
or instinct. 

“As the flesh and bones are more fixed than the 
ever moving blood, so the unconscious mind is slower to 
receive impressions, and slower to show them forth. 
Our bodies to-day are showing a harvest of the 
thoughts of generations or ages of the past. The per- 
son manifesting consumptive tendencies is not only 
expressing his own conscious thoughts, but is verita- 
bly the picture of the thoughts of his parents, ances- 
tors and the entire race, concerning a belief in con- 
sumption. Year by year the thoughts of this error 
have been writing themselves in his face, his eyes, his 
chest, his very walk and talk and breath. Unless he 
offsets them with thoughts of absolute Truth, they 
press him out of our sight. He yields to the belief of 
death, because he never said no to sin or sickness, 
because he was at one with the world in its false 
beliefs. 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ 4 The last enemy to be overcome is death ! ’ reads 
the inspired statement of Paul, confirmed and strength- 
ened by the Master’s never-dying promise, 6 If a man 
keep my saying he shall never see death.’ 

44 There are certain fixed beliefs inherent in every 
mind which we call universal beliefs. They are often 
referred to as belonging to the unconscious mind ; as, 
for example, the fear of pain or suffering under cer- 
tain circumstances will come to the surface of con- 
sciousness, proving that despite every feeling of confi- 
dence and fearlessness it has not been destroyed, but 
sleeps in the unconscious mind. 

44 These unconscious beliefs and fears of sickness 
are ultimately expressed on the bod}^ in different 
forms of disease, sometimes given one name and some- 
times another. The material scientist calls a certain 
outshowing on the body cancer, the Christian Scientist 
calls it the picture of a belief of cancer. In this way 
disease is always the manifestation of both conscious 
and unconscious thoughts. 

44 Special forms of disease are born by constant 
attention to the thought of disease and their symptoms. 
It has been stated on good authority that physicians 
who make a specialty of certain diseases are apt to be 
afflicted with Avhat they have especially fitted them- 
selves to cure. In a medical journal a case was cited 
not long since of an eminent physician who read before 
a great convention of doctors, what was considered to 
be the ablest treatise on insanity ever written. 4 On 
going home from the convention he killed his wife, 
four children, and then himself, in a fit of dementia . 7 


THE POWER OF THOUGHT. 


241 

“ This reveals a startling fact, which might be cor- 
roborated by many others, that the body ultimately 
pictures forth the idea. But the thought is not con- 
fined to the individual. It not infrequently finds the 
most striking expression in some member of the family 
or in any one under his influence. 

“ If one man’s thoughts so influence himself, family 
or friend, think of the influence of such thoughts on 
those who go to him for advice or treatment, those 
who deliberately place themselves under his inspection 
and allow themselves to be guided both directly and 
indirectly by his erroneous opinions. Think of the 
vast stream of such thoughts going out from all medical 
colleges, students and practitioners. No wonder dis- 
eases increase as physicians increase, as some of the 
best thinkers of the age declare. 

“Not that one class of people is more to be re- 
flected upon than another, for some kind or degree of 
erroneous thought is held by all classes. Physicians 
talk sickness and death, ministers preach evil and 
punishment, the entire race believe in and suffer for 
sins. 

“ It is centuries since it was first discovered that 
ideas were transmitted without the ordinarily accepted 
means of communication, but to-day it is positively and 
repeatedly, yes, continually proven that thought trans- 
ference is not only possible or probable, but an every- 
day occurrence. To realize that 

‘ Thoughts are things, 

Endowed with being, breath and wings, 

And that we send them forth to fill 

The world with good results or ill/ 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


is to be mightily responsible for what we think. To 
know that we are verily our brothers keeper, and 
that every thought makes misery or happiness for the 
whole world as well as for the individual, is something 
that should engage our deepest and most earnest con* 
side rati on. 

“ All thinking is for the weal or woe of the world 
that is yet in its infancy of knowledge. As conscious- 
ness of truth takes the place of consciousness of error, 
thoughts become light and beautiful and true with cor- 
responding conditions. 

“ Let us no longer slumber in the arms of indiffer- 
ence and ignorance, but awake to truth and righteous- 
ness. ‘Better be unborn than untaught; for ignorance 
is the root of misfortune.’ ” 

********* 





CHAPTER XXIX. 


“ Blessed influence of one true, loving soul on another. Not cal- 
culable by algebra, not deductible by logic, but mysterious, 
effectual, mighty as the hidden process by "which the tiny seed 
is quickened, and bursts forth into tall stem and broad leaf, and 
glowing tasseled flower . — George Eliot. 



H dear!” exclaimed Kate as she laid down the 


letter containing the lesson on Thought. “I 
didn’t know we were so responsible for every little thing 
that comes into our mind.” 

“ Or goes out of it,” said Grace, smiling, as she fin- 
ished tinting a dainty plaque. “ Now we can under- 
stand that ‘ where ignorance is bliss, ’tis folly to be 
wise,’ ” she added rather absent-mindedly. 

“Yes, but I think I prefer the wisdom to the bliss. 
Do you understand this lecture as well as the rest ? ” 
asked Kate, again glancing at the letter. 

“ Why shouldn’t we ? It is plainly told, and is a 
natural sequence to the others. I should think it very 
helpful, and if there really is so much power in thought, 
it is time people knew it.” 

“ But what of the people who do not know it ? Are 
they utterly defenseless ? ” 

“ As long as they believe in the reality of sin, sick- 
ness and death, they must suffer from them,” replied 
Grace, picking a loose hair from her blender. 

“ Then they ought to know how to learn and under- 
stand these things, but I could not tell anybody.” 


244 


THE RIGHT KNOCK . 


“We can solve any problem by going back and 
reasoning from the premise. If any shock of sin or 
sickness come over us, we have simply to remember the 
spiritual, which is the only real creation.’' 

“It is not so easily done though. To-day I met the 
most miserable looking cripple sliding along without 
any limbs. I held my skirts aside as he passed, and 
forgot to even think of him as God's child,” confessed 
Kate, in a regretful tone. 

“Anything takes time, and we can’t expect to leap 
into perfection at once, but what did you do after he 
had passed?” asked Grace, with some curiosity. 

“I pitied the poor creature and wondered what 
made him so.” 

“That was the very way to Keep him in the same 
condition,” said Grace, rapidly mixing some paint. 
“This last lesson very clearly explains that every thought 
has an influence, and that you help to make the body 
manifest whatever you think of it. If you think the 
real and true, you help to make that show forth, if 
you only think of the external or apparent trouble or 
defc jt, and regard it as the real, you are harming 
instead of helping.” 

“I can readily see that we may affect ourseives, 
but it seems hard to believe that we affect everybody ,” 
protested Kate, incredulously. 

“It is because we cannot realize the law of thought 
transference. I was reading just last week about that. 
An instance of Stuart C. Cumberland’s mind-reading 
was cited. It was wonderful. And then long ago I 
read an old book written by Cornelius Agrippa about 


AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. 


245 


it, but I was not very much interested, and did not 
understand nor believe it at the time, so my memory is 
not worth much concerning it.” 

“Then you really think I added another weight to 
that unhappy creature’s burden of trouble?” cried 
Kate, in sharp surprise.” 

“It would be best for you to deny his apparent 
conditions and affirm his real ones, and instead of 
thoughts of pity, which are only weakening, you 
could think of happiness and contentment. I truly 
believe we can learn to think of people this way, 
if we only catch ourselves for correction every time 
we think wrong.” 

“ How shall I ever learn to bridle my thoughts ? ” 
was Kate’s despairing wail. 

“ By learning to bridle your tongue ; I found a 
splendid text to-day on that very theme. It is in 
James in: 2. ‘If any man offend not in word, the 
same is a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole 
body.’ 

“ Why, it tells in those few words the substance of 
all we have learned in these lessons,” exclaimed Kate. 

“ Only we would never have had sense enough to 
understand without the lessons,” added Grace, with a 
smile. 

“ They may be likened to a golden key that opens 
royal gates,” said Kate, going to the piano to play 
while Grace was putting away her paints and brushes. 

A little later Grace went out to mail a letter. As 
she turned from the post-box, she found herself face to 
face with — whom but Leon Carrington ? 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Ah, an unexpected pleasure, Miss Hall ! ” he said, 
extending his hand and warmly grasping the one she 
slowly held out to him. He looked searchingly into 
her face, with clear, questioning eyes. 

She dropped her lashes and drew back with a touch 
of the old haughtiness, murmuring something he could 
not hear. 

“May I have the pleasure of a little walk with 
you ? ” he asked, suiting his step to hers and ignoring 
her apparent coldness. 

“ Certainly. How long since you returned to Hamp- 
ton, Mr. Carrington?” recovering herself as they 
walked. 

“ Only a few days ago. I was called here on busi- 
ness for my uncle, and will probably be detained sev- 
eral weeks.” He glanced at her as he spoke, but she 
gave no sign, only remarking it was a lovely season of 
the year for a visit. They walked along, talking only 
commonplaces, until they neared her home. 

“ Did you receive my letter, Miss Gra — Miss Hall ? ” 
he asked, with some unsteadiness in his voice. 

“ Yes,” she replied, shortly. She did not under- 
stand herself any more than he did, and was vexed to 
find it so impossible to throw off her old proud ways, for 
she really intended to relent enough, at least, to have 
an explanation, and possibly — her thoughts could never 
go farther than this, and here she was, in the same 
imperious way, shutting her better self away from even 
a fair consideration of duty. These thoughts flashed 
through her mind while she walked on, apparently with 
the greatest indifference to either his words or his pres- 


AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. tJfl 

ence. But with a great effort she compelled herself to 
say again, with more warmth, “I received it, and 
intended to answer before this, but — ” She stopped 
abruptly. 

lie gratefully caught the morsel she had given, and 
asked if he might not call the next day. 

“ Yes, you may come at three,” she said, careful to 
set a time when Kate would surely be out. 

At the door they parted, and as she went up the 
stairs, she wondered more than ever at her hardness, 
for almost unconsciously she had given up all doubts of 
his honor as a gentleman. What was it all about any- 
way? Nothing but a report that he was engaged to a 
young lady at the time he proposed to her, and on the 
testimony of a single friend, she had allowed herself to 
be miserable, and make another miserable, through this 
foolish pride that she would conquer by to-morrow 
afternoon. 

What! would she compel herself to so utterly 
ignore her own nature ? She leaned against the wall 
half way up the stairway, startled at this revelation of 
herself. She did not know she was capable of such 
changes, and yet the last two weeks had greatly modi- 
fied her opinions in many things. . . . Why should 

it not be so? If it were right she could be glad, and she 
reverently felt that it was right to let the Truth erase 
all errors and right all wrongs. To-niglit she would 
deny away every fault in her character, especially 
pride, deny every obstacle to understanding, and then 
earnestly ask for guidance, and wait till it came, for this 
was truly a crisis in her life. 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


The next day she received her guest with a percepti- 
bly softened manner. The hour was spent in mutual 
explanations, and the renewal of a more friendly rela- 
tion on her part, much to the satisfaction of Mr. Car- 
rington, whose perseverance was surely worthy this 
much reward, but Grace would go no further, although 
she gave him permission to call again. She must know 
herself fully before another word on the subject were 
said. Marriage was a vague and solemn theme, some- 
thing to be pondered over days and nights and months 
perhaps, she thought, and said to him. 

Mr. Carrington was a man of earnest aim and high 
purpose, thoughtful, intellectual and cultured, in every 
way congenial to her, and she was glad to accept his 
friendship. That he had loved her through all her 
coldness and neglect, she no longer doubted, which fact 
was of no small import in his chances for her favor. 
Finding how absolutely false had been the report that 
had caused her misjudgment, she was anxious to prove 
herself at least, a friend. 

After he was gone she reviewed the situation. Had 
she gone too far ? Ho. All was well. She was con- 
tent. Even if it should end in marriage, for marriage 
was the highest symbol of perfection and—. What 
the symbol meant was yet to be revealed, but she 
already knew that it had a profound and sacred mean- 
ing. 


CHAPTER XXX. 


“The study of Heredity, spiritual anatomy and physiology is 
highest of all. The key to this study is your own soul. Study 
yourself; gain possession and mastery of your own spirit and 
you hold the key not only to the heights of liberty, but the key 
that unlocks imprisoned souls .”— Mary Weeks Burnett M. B. 

“ Marlow, October . 

Jpg^Y DEAR HUSBAND: Gradually the vision 
broadens and we become more accustomed to 
the light. It is as though we were put into a beautiful 
room filled with all manner of lovely forms and dainty 
colors, flowers and perfumes, where we have groped 
blindfolded from one thing to another, trying to form 
some conception of the surpassing loveliness, when 
gradually the bandage is removed, layer by la}^er until 
the whole enchanting scene, radiant with light is 
revealed to our wondering gaze, showing the vast 
difference between supposition and reality. 

“ The light grew clearer than ever to-day, for we had 
our first practical hint on healing, inasmuch as we were 
told how to take up a case for treatment. 

u We must never forget that we are. and wish to 
remain as little children, in our desire to apprehend and 
understand Truth. The natural attitude of the child- 
mind is one of receptivity and eager interest. Under 
the guidance of wise parents he will always be willing 
and anxious to learn more and more, continually grow- 
ing in wisdom and love. 


2U9 


250 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


* “ Back to the zeal and innocence of childhood we 

go then, to learn the ever mysterious but ever charm- 
ing alphabet of Truth, which leads us into the kingdom. 

“ As we present ourselves in the great school room 
of life, and take or recognize our appointed place 
beside the ever present School-master, we learn the let- 
ters of the grand knowledge that shall teach us how to 
read the most learned books, understand the deepest 
philosophy, the profoundest science, the divinest 
religion. We would learn the ministry of healing, that 
will set free the 4 spirits in prison ; 5 we would be glad 
messengers of the gospel of peace. The door to great 
attainments is faithfulness in small ones. 

“ There are three kinds or modes of healing. The 
first or lowest, is the intellectual ; the second or next 
higher, the intuitional; the third and highest, the spir- 
itual. The first only can be taught, the other two are 
attained by individual development. The first comes 
by reason, the second by faith, the third by understand- 
ing. The first is by argument or a system of reason- 
ing, the second by implicit trust or confidence in the 
Principle, the third by the realization of Truth and 
the speaking of the word or perchance, by one’s very 
presence. 

“ But there is nothing arbitrary about this. The per- 
son who never heard of Christian Science till yesterday 
may have so caught the fire of Truth that to day he 
stands at the altar a priest instead of communicant, a 
teacher instead of pupil. 

“Many just beginning their study of this method 
of healing require explicit directions and explanations 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


251 


of details, in order to apply the principle, feeling that 
they have no intuitional leadings and can not depend 
upon the invisible power because they know so little 
about it 

“Wait; be patient; trust. Remember that 'he 
who is faithful in little, shall be made ruler over much.’ 
You need not learn the rule if you learn the principle, • 
and only so long as you are ignorant of the principle 
will you need the rule. To use the rule, as the child 
uses the chair in learning to walk, is to grow strong, 
and able to dispense with it ; to use it as spectacles are 
used, is to make it indispensable. 

“ If we can not yet learn through divine ways, let 
us learn through human ways. The human is inade- 
quate to express the divine, but many nameless hints 
and light-gleams and sudden illuminations will flash 
upon the faithful worker all along the way. Words 
are signs of ideas and ideas are signs of God. When 
we think or speak true words, we have begun our mis- 
sion of healing or helpfulness, and from words we go 
on to the inexpressible thrill of realization. 

“ We can not tell when we may thus change from 
the letter to the spirit, can not tell when we come into 
the exalted condition of a spiritual understanding, and 
having received the illumination, we are not to feel that 
we have grown above the use of argument, for it may 
be necessary to go back to the rule with the very next 

treatment. . . 

“ Above all else must the student of this Science 
o-uard against what may be called spiritual pride. 
No thought of supremacy or greater advancement 


252 


THE EIGHT KNOCK. 


should be harbored for a moment. All such things are 
clouds that obscure the light as much as other material 
beliefs. 

“ To gauge ourselves by that inimitable thirteenth 
chapter of I. Corinthians is to maintain the perfect 
equilibrium of a loving, charitable heart, that can heal 
and bless all human-kind, for ‘love never faileth.’ 

“We become, as it were, the cleansed window pane, 
through which shines the divine light of Truth. Could 
we always be the cleansed pane, Truth would melt 
away all error, just as the sun melts the frostwork, but 
being still in the current of human thought, we must 
wait patiently for further power to reveal the God- 
likeness. 

“Wrong thought as the real cause of disease, 
openes new avenues of information ; but we continue 
to explore and discover. Any kind of thought opposite 
the good is sure to break forth into some form of dis- 
ease-pictures, and the question is, what kind of thought 
is it which thus reflects itself upon the patient’s body? 
All error will produce pictures of error. The world’s 
naming of the belief in heredity is the naming of its 
greatest error, or belief in sin, because that implies all 
sins of the flesh as manifested in the body. 

“ Back of all effect is a cause ; the disease is the 
effect, the wrong thought is the cause. One of the 
great causes of disease is sensual beliefs, the appetites 
and passions of the carnal man. 

“It is error to suppose he is subject to conditions 
unlike God, the Source. ‘ He that is born of God, can 
not sin, because his seed remaineth in him.’ Being in 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


and controlled by the universal thought current, the 
error of supposition, he manifests it in his condition. 
Supposing consumption hereditary, he suffers from the 
supposition ; supposing impurities of the blood trans- 
mitted through the flesh, he finds it even so. Supposi- 
tion, false thinking, being at the bottom of all errone- 
ous conditions, we proceed to deal with them as we 
do with any other errors or lies. 

“When we seek for anything with a desire to gain 
happiness, it is because we hope to gain what our pre- 
vious efforts have failed to bring us, so the one who 
comes to be healed by Christian Science, comes with a 
hope at least that this will bring the health he has 
sought in vain from other sources. He has turned in 
all directions in response to the advice received from 
this or that one of the friendly advisers, so ready to 
constitute themselves the body guard of the world, 
lie has tried doctors of every school ; he has trav- 
eled east, west, north and south; he has plunged 
into healing waters of all kinds and had all kinds of 
healing waters plunged into him ; he has been burned 
and steamed and pounded and starved, till he is finally 
disgusted enough to want something that will not harm 
if it will not cure, so he drags himself before us with 
possibly a gleam of hope, possibly the faithlessness of 
despair, and asks for a treatment. 

“ And now you wish to know in what a treatment 
consists; simply in silently telling the patient the truth 
about himself as God’s child, in giving him the princi- 
ples we have learned concerning God and man, and 
%p ih earnest gladness assuring him of his freedom. 


THE BIGHT KNOCK. 


25b 

For the benefit of the young practitioner, we will give 
a few directions or suggestive treatments. 

“We ask the patient for a statement of his belief, 
which he is only too glad to give with elaborate and 
vivid details. We meet every statement with an em- 
phatic mental denial. 

“ The faithful student who has fasted and prayed 
(denied and affirmed), is now the embodiment of one 
vast negative that should wipe out the positive belief of 
any inharmony. The patient, being in the belief of 
false conditions, is of one mind with the world, and so 
reflects the beliefs of mankind. That we may be sure 
of meeting all classes of false beliefs, we deny for him 
the reflection of any false conceptions of himself from 
the race, his parents and ancestors, his friends and 
associates, himself and ourself, for we are still one 
with humanity. 

“ Everybody has a conscious or unconscious belief 
in heredity, and since it is one of, if not the most for- 
midable of human beliefs, we deal with it first as the 
possible cause of our patient’s belief in suffering. 

“After he has finished the statement of his condi- 
tion, we say to him mentally: ‘James Martin! Hear 
what I say, for I tell you absolute truth. Hot one 
word of all this you have told me about dyspepsia is true, 
because the carnal mind, to which you have been lis- 
tening, is not subject to the law of God, and you , the 
spiritual, immortal you, are subject to the mind of the 
spirit which recognizes the spiritual creation, therefore 
your spiritual self can not be sick or suffer from any 
inharmony. 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


255 


“‘This carnal mind belief named dyspepsia is not 
a condition of your real self. The belief of the race, 
ancestors, daily associates, yourself or myself in hered- 
ity and the sensual appetites can not be pictured forth 
by your body in the form of dyspepsia, because the real 
you is spiritual and not subject to material beliefs. It 
is utterly impossible for you, who are spiritual, to be 
influenced by any thought that is opposite the spiritual, 
as it is impossible for the light to coalesce with 
darkness. 

“ ‘ You are God’s child, made in His image and like- 
ness, and must be perfect like Him, for His conditions 
are changeless and eternal. Listen to this glad mes- 
sage that tells you absolute Truth. Realize that as 
God’s child you can not suffer, for spirit knows no suf- 
fering. You can not be weak, for God is your strength ; 
you can not fear anything, for God is your refuge and 
fortress. ‘ God hath not given us the spirit of fear, 
but of love and of power and of sound mind.’ 

“ ‘ Listen to me ! — The ‘ Truth sets free.’ — Now, you 
are free. You gladly acknowledge the truth, and 
prove it in every thought, word and deed. Like 
the Master, I say unto you, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ 
Come out of the errors in which you have been so 
long entombed, throw off the grave clothes of mortal 
thought, and rise to new thoughts, new conditions, a 
new life! Rejoice that you are whole, and let the 
world rejoice with you. . . . It is finished. In the 

hands of omnipresent Good, in the name of immacu- 
late Truth, I leave you. 

“ ‘ So may this be established, yea, it is already 


1 56 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


established. I thank Thee, Father, that thou hast 
heard me.’ 

********* 

“This lesson, John, is very hard to report. I find 
so many questions suggested to my mind, and so many 
if s and hut’s. 

“Mrs. Pearl desired us each to take up a case for 
absent treatment, some one we would like to help, 
and from whom we could hear every day or so, or who 
would be under our personal notice. I am going to 
treat a little boy in the house where I board. It is 
quite a severe case of catarrh. 

“I wish you would take a case, too. Just try this 
form of treatment that I have given. It may not seem 
clear to you at first, but it is not the words you are to 
remember so much as the ideas. Get the thought 
firmly fixed in your mind, and the words will come of 
themselves. 

“ You readily see it is using the same principle with 
the patient that has been applied in self training. First, 
the denial of all error, and then the affirmation of 
truth. This treatment is for any chronic condition, 
and is given twice a day, in the morning and at night. 

“Now, I must say good-night. It is nearly eleven, 
and I really ought to say my denials and affirmations 
some more, besides giving my patient the treatment. 

“With many kisses to the dear ones, 

“ I am your loving Marion.” 


CHAPTER XXXI. 


“Once let friendship be given that is born of God, nor time nor cir- 
cumstance can change it to a lessening; it must be mutual 
growth, increasing trust, widening faith, enduring patience, for- 
giving love, unselfish ambition and an affection built before the 
Throne, which will bear the test of time and trial.” 

— Allen Throckmorton. 

TPt seems to me, Grace, you have been touching up 
2L your complexion with some of the same paint as 
that in your roses,” exclaimed Kate, playfully, as she 
inspected Grace rather critically. 

“ Really, Kate, you must be more careful, or I shall 
add the sin of vanity to my other faults,” answered 
Grace, looking out of the window and smiling pleas- 
antly, with the least touch of absent mindedness in her 
manner. 

“ No danger of that, you dear old Gracious, but if 
you should say secretiveness, I might be willing to 
stop,” said Kate, boldly, yet hardly daring to look 
toward the window. 

Grace did not answer, but continued looking out of 
the window for several minutes. “ What makes you 
say that, Kate?” she asked at last, turning around 
soberly, while the rosy flush crept up to her temples 
and back of her ears. 

“ Oh, I don’t know, Gracious, only it seems to me 
you are like a pure white lily bell, and I want to creep 
into your heart and live in its fragrance, but — ” She 
stopped abruptly. It seemed as though the almost 

257 


258 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


imperceptible veil of reserve was falling lower than 
ever. 

Oh, why could she not gain Grace’s confidence ? 
These thoughts passed rapidly through her mind while 
she stood as if transfixed, waiting for Grace to break 
the interminable silence. If she had only known it, 
Grace was nearer to her at that moment than ever 
before, but with her eyes cast down, she saw not the 
yearning look on the face of her friend. 

Grace spoke at last : 

“But what, Kate?” she asked, taking up Kate’s 
words where they had dropped. 

“ But the petals will not open, and I am left out,” 
finished Kate, determined to be frank. 

Grace looked out of the window again, and was 
about to reply, when a rap at the door startled them 
both. It was a boy with a note. “ Miss Grace Hall ? ” 
he said, handing it to her. 

Grace looked at the letter and then at the boy 
inquiringly. “ I am to wait for an answer,” he said. 

“ Oh,” she murmured, in a dazed way, and hastened 
to find pen and paper for reply. 

“ More mystery ! I declare, it is getting interest- 
ing,” thought Kate, recovering herself, as she furtively 
watched the rosy face of Grace. 

“ Any answer ? ” asked the boy as he took the note. 

“ No.” The door was shut and Grace sat down 
beside the picture she had been working upon, but 
presently arose and began pacing the room. Kate 
looked up at her as she passed, but said nothing. She 
could see that some deep thought was struggling for 
utterance, and wondered much. 


CONFIDENCES. 


259 


After a few moments Grace stopped beside her. 
“I wish I might speak freely to you, Kathie, but — ” 
she hesitated, “but it has never been natural for me to 
be confidential, and — ” 

She began her promenade again, but presently came 
back, and drawing her chair close up to Kate, told her 
the whole story, with long pauses and much hesitating 
speech. 

“And now he is in the city ; he — wants an answer. 
He has invited me to — ride with him — to-morrow.’’ 

“ Surely, you will not refuse him that privilege ? ” 
cried the impetuous Kate, with visions of a romance 
unfolding in thrilling chapters before her very eyes. 

“No, of course not,” in a low tone, “but how shall 
I answer him ? ” The last was scarcely audible. It 
seemed almost as though she spoke to herself. With 
her forefinger she idly traced some hieroglyphics on 
her lap. 

“ What says your heart, my Lily bell ? ” asked Kate, 
softly, as she caressed the hand that was at liberty. 

“ ‘ The prisoned bird doth ofttimes sing, but never 
at the bidding of its jailer,’ ” was the low reply, with a 
faint smile, but tearful eyes. 

“Poor Lily bell; she can not bloom before her 
time. I can wait for her to open now, for I am close to 
her throbbing heart. Wait, dear Grace. Let us sit 
silently and ask the Father for guidance.” 

Sweet and solemn moment, when with one 
accord, they waited for the Spirit to pour out the full 
vials of love and wisdom. It was a precious time of 
sweet communion, Qf giving and receiving the best, a 


THE RIGHT KNOCK 


260 

consecration of self to better efforts, higher aims, 
holier living; a baptism of strength and peace and 
lovely thoughts. 

Grace had entered upon a new epoch. The past, 
with its longings and struggles, its loneliness and bitter- 
ness, was already fading into the background of mem- 
ory like some dark, ill-favored picture, and in its place 
came the present, with its balmy atmosphere and 
dainty colorings, promising joy and peace. The morn- 
ing looked fair. How would be the noon and even- 
tide ? 

Ah, no questioning when you ask the Father’s guid- 
ance! Have you not asked, dear heart? 

Wait till the answer comes. Wait till the soundless 
message is delivered into your heart’s safe keeping. . . 

The last beams of the setting sun came through the 
window and bathed them in its red-gold glory. In her 
exalted mood, it seemed to Kate like a heavenly vision. 
She saw Grace glorified with a divine radiance, bap- 
tized with a new peace. White-winged angels hovered 
near, like pure thoughts personified. Every glinting 
sunbeam seemed a golden shaft of love. 

The glory paled into a mellow twilight. The 
enchanting picture faded, but the essence of its beauty 
changed into a heart-melody of softened sacred joy. 
What but music could speak in this hallowed moment? 

Kate’s very soul would utter itself. She went to 
the piano as in a dream. Soft, low notes, faint and 
sweet, breathed of tender questionings and tremulous 
doubts; then a higher, more triumphant strain of vic- 
tory swelled the notes that lingered but a moment, ere 


CONFIDENCES. 


261 


a tone of sadness and regret struck the keys, whisper- 
ing of sacred duty and solemn responsibility. . . . 

Again the music changed. Now peace and jo}^ thrilled 
and rippled through the melodious chords. . . . 

Dearer than ever was the friendship thus cemented 
They had been caught up to heaven, as it were, and 
that which had been bound on earth was now bound in 
heaven, 

“ Mystical more than magical, is the communing of 
soul with soul, both looking heavenward. Here, prop- 
erly, soul first speaks with soul ; for only in looking 
heavenward, take it in what sense you ma}^, not look- 
ing earthward, does what we can call union, mutual 
love, society, begin to be possible.” 

They sat till late into the night, discussing and 
considering all phases of life and its problems. 

Kate read Mrs. Hayden’s letter, which in the agita- 
tion and excitement of the first part of the evening she 
had quite forgotten. Because of their deep earnestness 
they were well prepared to catch the healing mood. This 
experience seemed indeed the shower that most opened 
the blossom of understanding, and ere they slept, each 
had taken some poor suffering mortal into her care as a 
patient. The blessings they had received were already 
being passed to the waiting neighbor. 

It is the deep, unselfish God-love that takes the 
world in its embrace. To perceive, feel, live the divine 
Love, is to have broken the old shell of selfishness, 
when we may begin to send the tender rootlets of 
being into the ready soil of the universe. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 


“ The power to bind and loose to Truth is given! 
The mouth that speaks it is the mouth of Heaven. 
The power, which in a sense belongs to none, 
Thus understood belongs to every one.” 


— Abraham Coles . 


“ Thro’ envy, thro’ malice, thro’ hating, 
Against the world, early and late, 


No jot of our courage abating — 
Our part is to work and to wait.” 


— Anon. 


Marlow, October- 



!\EAR ones at home : Your letters were all re. 


1^ / ceived this afternoon. Am pleased to know that 
Mabel is so interested, for it will help her so much in 
her studies and work. I must begin my daily report 
at once, as there is not much time before class. 

“There was no lesson yesterday, and about noon 
Mrs. Dawn came after me to go with her and Mrs. 
Browning, her hostess, to the dentist’s, as Mrs. Brown- 
ing had to have a tooth extracted. We started, treat- 
ing her all the way with the quieting, reassuring thoughts 
that allay fear. Before she went in we agreed to hold 
that thought. 

“When Mrs. Browning went into the office, we re- 
mained in the waiting room thinking as intently as 
possible : 

“ ‘ There is not a thing to fear, Lida Browning, there 
is no tooth-ache with your real self, there is no sensation 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION 


in matter. You can entertain nothing but the One Life. 
The One Mind thinks, and you are Ilis idea, perfect as 
your Creator. Good is all, Love is all, Peace is already 
with you, for you are one with the Father.’ 

. . . “ It was done. The dentist was so amazed 

that he hardly remembered to give his patient a glass 
of water. 

“ 4 Well, I never knew a cuspidate to come so hard. 
Didn’t it hurt terribly?’ he asked sympathetically. 

‘“Hot a bit except when you first put on the 
forceps,’ was her prompt reply as she rinsed out her 
mouth. . . . 

“ I need say no more. You can imagine our pleas- 
ure at this victory. We never know how little our 
faith till we see how astonished we are at the demon- 
stration. 

“ You ask if Mrs. Pearl has explained your queries. 
A few questions were handed in yesterday, but I had 
not time to put them in my letter. One that always 
puzzled us, was : What is the origin of evil ? The ques- 
tions are written on slips of paper and laid on the 
table. She answers them before giving the regular 
lesson. When she read this slip there was not a little 
stir among the fifty eager questioners. ‘ What is the 
origin of evil? ’ she repeated. ‘ It has no origin,’ was 
the unsatisfactory answer, after a momentary silence. 
Oh ! the blankness of those faces ! ‘ But,’ she resumed 

presently, ‘if you ask how seeming evil originated, I 
may give you the ideas that came to me as a solution 
of that mortal mind question.’ 

“You know we might ask questions of each other 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


forever, but unless our thoughts are tinged with the 
same quality, or run in the same direction, the satisfac- 
tory answer to one may not be at all satisfactory to 
another. In other words, we will not recognize the 
same phase of truth, unless we are in the same stage of 
development, so if you are not willing to take my 
explanation as true, it may be that you are not yet 
where you can perceive it, or it may be, you require a 
different illustration to convey the same thought, or, 
there may be innumerable reasons, but of this one 
blessed fact be assured : if you hold yourself in the 
receptive attitude, and sincerely expect to be guided 
by the spirit of truth, some day the answer will come 
to you with such irresistible force and plainness that 
you can not forget it, or ever be in doubt upon that 
point again. 

“ It was in this way the light came to me. That 
question had puzzled me more than all else, and I asked 
every Scientist whom I met as to the correct solution. 
For several months I pondered and fretted over it. At 
last, in despair, I let it alone, resolving I would not be 
further troubled. But one day it unfolded itself so 
clearly and beautifully I was completely satisfied. 

“ Here it is : Taking the first account of creation, we 
find man made in the image and likeness of God, given 
dominion over all things. If we believe man to be 
spiritual and not material, if we know that spirit can 
not change its character or quality, we must know that 
spiritually man never fell, but that he seemed to fall 
through our misconception and misunderstanding of 
appearances. 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 265 

“ Man now manifests what he believes in ; his con- 
sciousness of truth is not fully developed and he mis- 
takes appearances for realities. Having all possibilities 
of recognizing only the good, he is perfect. For every 
mistake that is made he manifests error, the fallen, or 
rather the undeveloped state. The Truth and Love 
that he manifests in his life, is the revealment of 
his God-like nature. In the glimpses of his true self he 
recognizes his inheritance of power, and in his mistaken 
conceptions forgets to acknowledge God. lie then 
judges according to appearances, and says things are 
true because they appear true to the senses. 

“The creating principle oj: life is perfect, but man 
neglects to acknowledge this divine power in proportion 
to his selfishness. It is therefore his selfishness that 
prevents him from recognizing the Good, and causes 
him to see, name and believe in matter and its conse- 
quences ; and lie thus becomes materially minded, and is 
known as the ‘Adam’ in ‘ whom all die.’ 

“ Adam signifies error, clay, unreality. Christ sig- 
nifies Truth, Spirit, Reality. If we believe in things 
that appear to be the creation, we are believing in 
nothingness, which so proves itself by death and disin- 
tegration. If we believe appearances to be the sign 
of the real, we are acknowledging the spiritual to be 
the all, hence it proves itself by making even , the body, 
its sign, manifest life, health, perfection. 

“ If we cast out all selfishness, pure love takes its 
place. We must be purified from the beliefs of the 
world in selfishness and its consequences by recognizing 
that our ‘ sufficiency is of God.’ 


266 • THE RIGHT KNOCK. 

“ This was very plain to me, John, and I hope you 
will find it so too, but if you do not, wait, and as soon 
as you are ready for it, the answer will come to you. 

u The lesson to-day was on deception and personal 
influences. The whole world has been deceived into 
believing man is fleshly instead of spiritual, so many 
false thoughts and beliefs have arisen, which are the 
cause of all disease and trouble. Universally we are 
deceived, individually we are deceived, and it is not 
only because we are making our beliefs visible on the 
body, but because we suffer from them mentally and 
physically that it is necessary to discover what thej r 
are and cast them out. 

“The term deception will cover the mistakes 
believed and made in ignorance, and deceitfulness 
will include the beliefs in and expression of deceitful- 
ness. On the second day the patient is treated for the 
world’s next greatest beliefs, which are deception and 
deceit fulness, and as before, we set him free from this 
belief, as possibly reflected or absorbed through one or 
more or all of these five avenues we mentioned in the 
first treatment. 

“ Because the world has admitted the first great lie, 
that the material creation is the true one, or synony- 
mous with the true, we have ‘yielded ourselves servants 
to sin,’ hence will see the consequences of such false 
conclusion, until we deny the lie and affirm the truth. 

‘ Oh what a tangled web we weave. 

When first we practice to deceive,’ 

is a couplet I remember learning long ago, when I was 
a child, and how applicable it is to this problem of 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


267 


deception. Truly, it is a tangled web, and the only 
wav to get it untangled is to break off the thread and 
go back to the beginning where we can truly say, I 
am created free and perfect and whole in His image, 
and can not be influenced by anything different from 


Him. 

“ This is always spiritually true, but if we deal 
with the worldly beliefs, we find that according to 
appearances, we are under the influence of our own and 
every other person’s wrong thought. We say of some 
people, ‘how happy I am in their company, how it up- 
lifts me to be in their presence.’ With others we feel 
a nameless depression, a fearful, unhappy feeling, am 
shun their company. As Emerson so aptly says: 

‘ With some I walk among the stars, whilst others pin 
me to the wall.’ 

“ Now, in reality, no good ever comes from personal 
influence, ’although in the first instance it might seem 
so Personal, from the word persona, a mask, is only 
applied to the physical self or carnal mind ; therefore 
we can receive no benefit from the personal quality of 
our friend, but we are benefited and uplifted by Ins 
freedom from personality, or in other words by the 
divine individuality flowing through him and expressed 
by his benevolence, his love, his cheerfulness, his wis- 
dom. Inasmuch as he is free from personal or selfish 
thoughts, he is filled and permeated with gifts from 
the divine Fountain of all benevolence, all love, all 
cheerfulness, all wisdom. 

“There is a difference between personality and 
individuality which most people do not recognize. 


268 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


Personality only pertains to the physical, while indi- 
viduality is the term properly applied to the spiritual 
self. ‘ There is but one Mind, the Universal Mind, 
which, if we can lay hold on, will give us all knowl- 
edge, wisdom and power,’ said Emerson. 

“ When we can throw aside a belief in personality, 
or personal influence, we will be free. The negative 
thoughts sent out by the world have no power over one 
who has become filled with positive thoughts of right- 
eousness. When we trust wholly to the Good, and become 
wholly at one with the Good, recognizing the suprem- 
acy of the Good, we are free from all belief in miseries 
or burdens. We breathe purer air, which is invisible 
but life-giving ; we feed on heavenly manna, the true 
word that is divinely nourishing; we escape the awful 
bondage of fear, knowing the perfect love that casts out 
fear. We can not fear any false beliefs or wrong 
thoughts, for we are so filled with true thoughts, no 
such falsities can enter our mind. 

“ Some people talk as though we have great cause 
to tremble at this awful counterfeit power of mortal 
mind, but if they would not talk of it, nor fear it as 
having power, it would vanish as mist before the morn- 
ing sun. 

“The great sin is in admitting a lie. Admit the be- 
lief of sickness as a reality and you will see many witnesses 
to prove it. ‘Agree with thine adversary quickly, lest he 
turn and rend thee,’ means make haste to dispose of the 
lie that will throttle you, if you fellowship with it ever 
so little. Let us not be deceived, but let us ‘awake to 
righteousness and sin not.’ 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


“Another question, and a very important one, was: 
4 What is the difference between the different teachers 
of Christian Science ? ’ I can best give the substance 
of Mrs. Pearl’s reply by reference to Mrs. Fuller, the 
Scientist from Trenton. 

“You remember when she gave her parlor lecture 
at Mrs. Haight’s, she said : 4 Everything that did not 
come from her teacher was mesmerism, that it was 
altogether false, and it was so much of a power that 
it was indeed to be feared, for there was no telling what 
its subtlety and cunning would suggest and execute; 
that no cure effected by it was permanent, but that the 
patients would sooner or later be worse than before.’ 

44 Oh, dear, I must not rehearse it, for of course you 
remember how my old headache overtook me when I 
got home, and how wrought up I was all night. How 
I know what caused it, and now I know the difference. 

44 In the first place, these people are taught the pure 
and beautiful foundation of pure Christian Science, but 
instead of holding to their premise that all is good, 
they begin to talk about people and things that are not 
good, imputing false motives, and giving false power 
to those who, as they say, are not in the truth. 

44 If they would only remember that counterfeits 
can have no power except as it is delegated to them, 
that unreal thoughts must disappear in the presence of 
true thoughts, they would not be troubled and puzzled. 
Adhering to the law, they would recognize and talk 
about the Good only. 

44 Ah, John, here is the secret of Jesus’ words, 
‘Resist not evil.’ If we resist anything, we recognize 


270 


THE IlIGUT KNOCK. 


it as something. If we regard evil as an entity, 
we can not help fearing or fighting it, but if we know 
it is nothingness claiming to be something, we deal 
with it accordingly. 

“ Whoever resists evil or calls evil a power, has not 
denied the reality of evil faithfully enough. To talk 
of anything as having power, is to believe in the power 
and become entangled in its meshes. That explains 
Mrs. Fuller’s remark that she was 4 actually afraid to 
meet one of those false teachers on the street, and al- 
ways took pains to warn people against them.’ I speak 
of Mrs. Fuller because you know so well what she did 
and said, that you will understand this explanation 
better. 

“Another remark she made was, that ‘ this power of 
mortal mind is wholly ignored by these false teach- 
ers, although they secretly use it so effectually and 
disastrously.’ Because they do not talk so much of 
evil, she thinks they ignore it, while really they si- 
lently but earnestly and vigorously deny it, thereby 
getting a sure control over it. She was taught to 
call this seeming power of mortal thought Mesmerism, 
and Animal Magnetism, and after giving it such for- 
midable names, and so mighty a place, it is most nat- 
ural for her to say that it affects herself and family or 
her patients, causing them to be slow in yielding to 
treatment. Thus you can readily see how she accounts 
for her failures. 

“ Mrs. Pearl teaches that we can deal with this 
influence of carnal or mortal mind, by denying for the 
patient the conscious or unconscious reflection of it 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


271 


from these five different sources. To the patient who 
is ignorant of truth, mortal thought has a power, 
because he has acknowledged it as having power, but 
in our silent conviction of its powerlessness, we speak 
the true word that sets him free. The whole secret lies 
in our own freedom from belief in this false power. 

“ The name Mesmerism or Magnetism makes it 
seem like some awful monster, lurking in every corner, 
ready to devour us, while, as Mrs. Pearl says, we go 
our way, quietly denying all appearance of evil, prov- 
ing the law of Good by recognizing only the Good in 
thought and speech. 

“ How beautiful this teaching is ! and how wonder- 
fully the spirit leads us into all truth. But it can not 
teach us if we talk error, or deliberately judge others. 
Never till we are faithful in acknowledging the one 
Principle of Life will it prove itself the only power 
over us. , 

“ After the questions, Mrs. Pearl spoke of the third 
treatment. We treat for everything we might have 
missed in the first two treatments. Sometimes this is 
called the sin treatment, for it takes up so many things 
that belong more or less to everybody, according to the 
world’s belief. A more explicit naming is selfishness. 

“ Selfishness is the beginning, the mother of all the 
rest. It reminds one of the seven devils from which 
poor Mary Magdalen was freed. It is not unlikely 
these were their names : Selfishness, pride, envy, ava- 
rice, jealousy, malice and cruelty. This we den } 7 for 
the patient through the five different sources, and you 
can see how apt it will be to touch him, for who is there 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


of all earth’s children that is perfectly free from any 
of these qualities. With our strong faith in the law 
and power of the word, we sturdily deny everything 
that might he the shadow obstructing his light. 

“ As we go on in the Science, we learn the meaning 
of these outsho wings of disease. Every visible thing 
is the expression of a thought, whether God-given or 
man-supposed. We look into a patient’s face and read 
or interpret the signs of his thought. Is he selfish, un- 
kind or severe in his disposition, there are the lines and 
expressions that betray him. Is he lovely, gentle and 
kind, a nameless feeling of peace and trust steals over us. 

“ In the moments or times of silence that every healer 
should seek, there may come something to hint of the 
truth, some word or text or mind -picture that will 
teach what no book or teacher could tell, for ‘ the spirit 
of truth leads us into all truth,’ and the ways and 
means are varied according to our capacity to receive. 

“A mind-picture is a symbol representing some 
thought. For instance: Suppose while I sit in the 
silence, there comes to my consciousness a fragment of 
landscape, a child’s face, a storm, a sun. These are ideas 
symbolized. If it be a pleasant scene, it may be to 
me a glimpse of the 4 green pastures and still waters ’ 
that David sang about when depicting the life of the 
righteous. It would mean peace for my patient. If 
the symbol be a child’s face, it may mean that I 
must become as a little child in order to be led into the 
kingdom. A storm may signify that my patient is 
passing through a crisis of mental commotion, in which 
case I must use the invariable rule, deny the false and 
affirm the true. 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


“ On the other hand I may never see a symbol, but 
some suggestive text may come into my mind. If I 
were depressed or discouraged, these words might give 
me new courage and hope : ‘ Fear not, for I am with 
thee;’ f wait patiently on the Lord, and He will give 
thee the desires of thine heart.’ 

“Or I might not be conscious of anything while I 
am sitting thus in the silence. The answer to my silent 
question may come to me in the most commonplace 
w ay days or weeks after it is asked. Some person 
may say something that will be the very clue I am 
seeking. We are not to be anxious or troubled if many 
questions perplex us, or many problems seem insoluble, 
but wait, trusting that 4 he is faithful Avho promised.’ We 
must not be wishing for the same signs or powers that 
others have, but appreciate what is given to us,' for 
faithfulness shall receive its full reward in due time ‘ if 
we faint not.’ 

“ Ho more to-day. Love to the babies. How glad I 
am to know they are so well and happy. 

“ Faithfully, Marion.” 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 


“ Comfort our souls with love, 

Love of all human kind; 

Love special, close in which, like sheltered dove. 

Each weary heart its own safe nest may find ; 

And love that turns above 
Adoringly; contented to resign 
All loves, if need be, for the love divine.” 

— j D. M. Mulock Crctik. 

« RACE looked very lovely, as she stepped into the 
carriage, when Mr. Carrington called for her. 
A suggestion of reserved feeling gave an adde4 lustre 
to her beautiful eyes, and the faintest wild-rose tint in 
her cheeks made her a fit study for any artist. 

She looks like Psyche just awakened. Can it be 
possible, that with all her charms, she Avas sleeping, 
before to-day ? he thought as he took his seat beside 
her, thrilled Avith neAv hope. 

He drove into one of the broad, quiet a Avenues that 
led out of the city and into a country road. “ I 
thought you Avould like to visit ‘ The Glen,’ and see 
its autumn dress,” he said, as thej^ came in view of the 
river over Avhich lay the “ Glen ” road. 

“ I have been Avishing I might go there, before the 
leaA^es fell, and this is exactly Avhat I enjoy,” replied 
Grace, looking out over the scene before her Avith a 
keen pleasure. 

“ Perhaps this is an answer to your Avish. Some- 
times I think our Avishes are answered because of their 


GRACE. 


275 


intensity,” said Mr. Carrington, looking meaningly 
into her face. 

“ George Eliot says: ‘ The very intensity keeps 
them from being answered.’ ” What gave him. the 
sudden, triumphant certainty that he could bide his 
time ? She had lost all her haughtiness, apparently. 
He had never seen her in the mood of to-day. 

“ Apropos of wishes,” he resumed, “ which are prop- 
erly thoughts, I have two friends in Boston, who can 
communicate with each other, no matter how far apart 
they may be. They call it the power of thought.” 

“ Yes, thought transference. I am quite interested 
and fully believe it,” said Grace, glad to have the 
opportunity of sounding him on this and kindred 
themes. 

He glanced at her in polite surprise. “ Indeed,” he 
said, “ are you acquainted with the subject?” 

“ Somewhat ; I have seen enough to know it is 
founded on law,” she replied, briefly. 

“ What law? ” he asked, wonderingly, with a slight 
smile of incredulity lighting his face. 

“ Mental law, of course.” 

She then went on to explain to him something of 
her study of Christian Science. At first he was rather 
skeptical, but on seeing her seriousness, he very soon 
grew sober and gave the most respectful and appar- 
ently absorbed attention. By the time she finished, he 
was really interested. 

“ I have often thought that some day there would 
be more light upon the philosophy of thought, but I 
was not aware it was so close upon us,” he finally said. 


276 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ It is certainly much needed now,” she replied, 
looking dreamily at the white clouds floating in the 
bits of blue above the trees. She was thinking how 
much it had been worth to her in her trial last night, 
lie noticed the far-away look and wished he might 
know her thoughts. 

What would have been his surprise, could he have 
been told at this moment how much he was already 
indebted to Christian Science? for had it not softened 
the cruel pride that had so encrusted her before ? He 
knew nothing of this. He perceived a change in her 
manner and even character since he last saw her two 
years before, although even then his great love had 
been able to condone all weaknesses, or what others 
would call weaknesses. To him they were part of her 
lovableness. 

When she so coldly rejected him, unlike most men, 
he had determined to wait patiently for her indifference 
to turn into reciprocation. He had recognized but one 
thing, the simple, supreme fact that he loved Grace 
Hall. In regard to her, there was and never could be 
any other thought. Inspired with such love as this, such 
sublime patience, such infinite hope, is it any wonder 
he looked into her eyes and read a hint of victory ? 

The time was drawing near. His two years of 
waiting surely gave him liberty to ask, and the right 
to receive. ... As for that, love, such love as his, 
had royal rights and it would win its own way when 
the moment came. He would approach the subject 
gradually, talking about his coming departure, 
although he had mentioned that in his note, had even 


on ACE. 


277 

dared to tell her this must be his excuse for requesting 
an answer sooner than she wished to give it. 

Oh, what a lovely group of colors ! ” exclaimed 
Grace, involuntary, pointing to a tree decked in the 
most gorgeous foliage. 

“ S1] all I get some leaves for you ? ” he asked, antici- 
pating her desire, and descended from the carriage. 

Presently he returned, with his hands full of small 
branches. “ They are lovely hues. Is there not some- 
thing else you would like ? I saw some beautiful ferns 
over yonder,” he said, pointing to the spot. 

“ Will we have time ? I would like to get out,” she 
exclaimed eagerly. 

“ Time ! ‘ There’s time for all things,’ Shakespeare 
savs,” laughed Mr. Carrington, as he assisted her to 
alight. 

Grace was in her element amid the speaking grand- 
eur of Nature’s hills. 

“ Have you a sharp pencil, Mr. Carrington ? I seem 
to have lost the one I always carry with me, and that 
grand oak tree I must have as a model.” 

He quickly sharpened one and gave it to her. 

How beautiful she looked ! He delighted to watch 
every movement of the deft fingers, to study every 
expression of the beautiful eyes and mobile mouth. He 
revelled in her beauty, because to him she was the per- 
sonification of all that was lovely and noble and great. 
Her character he would have loved just as much 
had she been plain instead of beautiful, for his ideal 
was the inward, not the outward beauty, except as the 
two blended into one, as they did with her. 


278 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ You seem to be partial to the oak. Miss Hall. Is 
there any reason for it ? ” 

“ Yes, I am. It is a grand symbol of strength and 
firmness of character,” she replied, still sketching rap- 
idly. “ I like to paint trees, for they express so much. 
Some show such kindly benevolence, with their broad, 
spreading branches and friendly shade, some are so 
graceful, with their tall trunks and delicately veined 
leaves, as though showing a fine, tender nature ; while 
others are stunted and rough, with coarse, thick foliage. 
I place each one as to character and station, and they 
teach me many beautiful lessons.” 

“And they will teach me many after this, Miss 
Grace.” 

He wanted to say something more, but she was so 
innocently unconscious of anything but her work that 
he must wait for a better opportunity. 

Having finished her sketch, Grace looked up. The 
self-consciousness that had scarcely left her, save these 
past few moments, now returned with painful sudden- 
ness. Her eyes met his, and a vivid flush overspread her 
face, but she said nothing. 

“ Shall we go? ” he asked, holding out his hand to 
assist her. Ilis eyes expressed the question his lips 
could not frame, but she did not see them. They went 
to the carriage in silence. 

The road presently left the woods and turned into 
a broad country lane. Both had forgotten the pro- 
posed trip to “ The Glen,” but it made no difference. 
At last the undercurrent of feeling had burst through 
all reserves. 


GRACE. 


279 


Mr. Carrington awaited the final answer, and what 
did she say ? 

It was the sacred page in a maiden’s life that is 
read but once. ..... 

Grace had found in her lover a man who was broad- 
minded and liberal enough to fairly consider these 
matters from a woman’s standpoint. They freely dis- 
cussed a married woman’s rights and privileges, and 
both agreed that a wife should have an individuality 
after marriage as well as before. “ I desired to express 
myself on this point before, my dear Grace,” said Mr. 
Carrington, “ because to my mind it is a mutual life, 
and should be a mutual development.” 

“ It is, indeed. I have never looked at it in the 
right way, till the last few weeks. I used to feel that 
marriage was degrading rather than elevating, because 
it seemed as though a woman had to give up so much 
that really belonged to her, her name, her property, her 
freedom as an individual. But now I see that true 
marriage should bring freedom in the fullest sense of 
the word.” 

“In love there is no bondage,” he replied, admiring 
her independent thought. 

“ Yes, but the world has a faint conception of love, 
the love that saves to the uttermost, and endures for- 
ever,” said Grace. 

“ With such love there would be no danger of mar- 
riage degrading the individual, no need of divorce.” 

He spoke strongly for he felt strongly. Any one 
speaking from the depths of a heart-conviction, speaks 
with authority. 


280 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ The world needs to be lifted to a higher standard 
on these matters. The subject of marriage is too sacred 
to jest about, and people in general think it no harm 
to toy with the word and all that pertains to it with 
the utmost carelessness.” 

Grace was more like herself now. She was very 
happy in the thought that Mr. Carrington understood 
this as she did, but she was not a little surprised to find 
herself giving such free expression to her opinions. 

“ Indifference and laxity is the result of the trifling. 
My theory is that these things should be sacredly 
spoken of in the family, when boys and girls are grow- 
ing up. That is the way my mother did,” said Mr. 
Carrington reverently. 

“ Yes, the family is more responsible than society, 
for it makes society,” she replied, secretly touched by 
the allusion to his mother. 

She felt more and more confidence in Mr. Carrino’- 

O 

ton. It seemed surprising to find how rapidly her 
love for him had increased since she gave it permission 
to grow. She did not realize that it had been a smoth- 
ered plant before, trying to live without sunshine. 
How it could grow in the warmth and brightness of 
beautiful day. 

It was early twilight when they returned. Kate 
was waiting for her. The joyous light in Grace’s eyes, 
though she tried to veil it, told the story. Kate put 
her arms about her, saying, as she caressed the rosy 
cheek : 

“ Lily bell is bloomed at last.” 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 


“ Be cheerful: wipe thine eyes : 

Some falls are means the happier to arise. 
***** 

Before the curing of a strong disease, 

Even in the instant of repair and health 
The fit is strongest ; evils that take leave, 

On their departure most of all show evil.” 

— Shakespeare. 

T^OE two days no letter came, and then Mr. Hay- 
den received two, which he handed to the girls 
as he met them on the street the same evening. 

“Can you spare them both?” said Kate, holding out 
her hand eagerly. 

“ Oh, yes : I am especially engaged to-night, and 
besides they are better together. I am rather glad for 
the delay. I was afraid the first one had miscarried,” 
he replied. 

The waiting had only increased their interest, and 
on reaching home they at once sat down to read the 
the two letters handed them by Mr. Hayden. 

“ Marlow, October . 

“Dear John: I suppose you, like the rest of us, 
are anxious to know how the patient feels after such a 
vigorous denial of the seven evils. It is quite neces- 
sary to know what to do at this stage. 

“ After the treatment for special sins, James Martin 
comes with bitter complaints that he is worse instead 
of better. He tells a doleful story of how he suffered 

281 


282 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


all night ; had chills and fever exactly as when he 
had the ague long ago ; how he coughed and choked 
and broke out with something like measles, and was 
all the while so vilely sick it seemed as though he was 
about to die. 

“ As he is telling his pitiful tale, with perhaps a 
gleam of hatred, disgust or helpless anguish in his eyes, 
we are to sit calmly by and very soothingly give him 
the mental information that ‘ there is nothing to fear.’ 

“ When he concludes his mournful story, we assure 
him in quiet tones that there is no occasion for alarm, 
as we know how to deal with these symptoms. Then, 
very gently and slowly, with a most self-possessed atti- 
tude of mind, we talk to him mentally something after 
this fashion : 

“ 4 There ! James Martin, it is all right. Oh, no ; 
nothing has hurt you, nor can hurt you. You are not 
afraid of anything; you know there is no reality in 
sickness; you are not suffering any inharmony because 
of fear or remorse for sin. It can not be possible for 
you to reflect fear or remorse from your parents, or the 
race or your daily associates. Neither is it possible for 
you to suffer from your own fear or remorse, nor mine. 
Remember, you are spiritual and not material, and can 
fear nothing. God is your intelligence, and you know 
that truth is all-powerful. Now, listen! You are happy, 
you are content, you are filled with blessed peace, ‘ the 
peace that passeth all understanding.’ You know the 
Lord is your shepherd. He leadeth you beside the still 
waters. He maketh you to lie down in green pastures 
now , this moment. There is no future to God’s 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


promises; they are in the eternal present. There! 
James Martin, a sweet ease comes to you, the burden is 
taken away ; you are in the gentle care of Truth, which 
ever whispers, 4 Come unto me all ye that labor and 
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ Sh — h! 
Gently the arms enfold you, sweetly peace and love 
embrace you, and you are at rest ; sleep if you like. 
Softly come sweet words of divine love to your wait- 
ing ear, 4 fear not, fear not, for I am with thee.’ Peace 
. . . . peace be with you, Amen.’ 

44 This stage is called chemicalization, because our 
words of truth, dropped into the mind filled with error, 
produce a fermentation similar to the effect produced 
* by the union of different chemicals. Sometimes the 
patient chemicalizes after the first treatment, in 
which case the second and third treatments are 
omitted. 

“ When the patient first comes to be treated, he 
might be likened to a last year’s garden. His mind is 
filled with the roots and rubbish of the beliefs he has 
sown, and some of them are noxious weeds, deeply 
rooted in the mental soil. 

“ Cutting and keen are the words of Truth, and like 
a burnished plowshare, it enters the unsightly field and 
uproots everything in its path. We now do not mention 
sickness, because his mind is so unsetled and his active 
beliefs of disease all on the surface, so we gently soothe 
him into forgetfulness of his trouble, and quietly assure 
him there is no occasion for alarm of any kind. Thus, 
with the word of peace and assurance we smooth the 
rough, uneven soil, until it is pulverized and prepared 


THE RIGHT KNOCK, 


for the new seeds which are to grow and blossom into 
fair truth-flowers. 

“ To deny errors for him who believes so absolutely 
in them, is to dig down into the unconscious mind and 
rake up even the memories that are imbedded, hence 
his symptoms of ague, or measles or whatever beliefs 
he may have had. 

“ Because mortality dislikes to be told of its faults 
and consciously or unconsciously resents such telling, 
the violence of chemicalization only marks the degree 
of conscious or unconscious mental opposition, of which 
the bodily symptoms are the picture. There is no law 
for chemicalization, for some patients pass through this 
period without even noticing it. 

“ Sometimes instead of an excited fevorish condition, 
which requires the soothing quieting thought, the 
patient is dull and sluggish, perhaps unconscious, as in 
fainting, spasms or something similar; then vigorous, 
rousing thoughts should be given — sharp, decisive 
and emphatic, as when awaking a heavy sleeper. 

“ When called to treat any one suffering from fever 
or any acute condition, we give the soothing, or peace 
treatment as it is sometimes called. Little children 
may be compared to mirrors, reflecting every thought 
around them. In treating them it is necessary to make 
the law — and the true word is always law — that they 
do not or can not reflect fear or belief of disease from 
their parents or relatives, taking pains to name each 
person strongly holding thoughts of fear for the little 
one. If it is a contagious and dangerous sickness 
according to mortal thought, besides the near ones in 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


285 


tlie family, deny that any thought of fear from the 
neighborhood or world can be reflected upon the child 
or manifested in this belief of sickness. 

“Sometimes children are treated entirely through the 
parents, that is, the parents are quieted and assured of the 
truth concerning their little one — that it is living in the 
current of infinite Love, where no fear can touch it, no 
sickness come near it, no pain destroy it. 

“Such cases require frequent or long-continued treat- 
ments, or rather long-continued thought of the Good, 
mostly affirmation, for very little denial is needed to 
cut the chains of error from a babe. Denial is to be 
applied more to the parents — the denial of fear. 

“If we feel at all doubtful or fearful concerning our 
work, we are not at one with the divine Love, and must 
treat ourselves before we treat the patient. Be at one 
with omnipotent Law, and the Law will prove itself 
through you. Know truth and do not tamely believe 
it, then you may have marvelous proof of the difference 
between knowledge and belief, God-like understand- 
ing and blind faith. 

“Mrs. Pearl very clearly answered the question 
which was asked concerning the meaning of Bible pass- 
ages implying eternal punishment. 

“ There is always punishment so long as we are in 
mortal belief, but it is only in mortal belief we can 
suffer, for the spirit made in the image and likeness of 
God can not suffer, neither know suffering. 

“The word everlasting should be translated age- 
lasting, to give the original meaning. Fire is a symbol 
of purification, and in the language of ancient times it 
was customary to use strong figures of speech. 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“In the fifteenth chapter of John, wherein Jesus 
explains about the vine and branches, what could be 
plainer than his illustration of the dead branches? 
4 Every branch that bearetli not fruit, he taketh away , 
and every branch that bearetli fruit he purgeth it that 
it may bring forth more fruit.’ 

“ Every false belief is a branch that bearetli not fruit, 
hence must be taken away and destroyed even as dead 
limbs are burned. Falsity or evil, being nothingness; 
can not exist because it is not of the real creation and 
is necessarily cast into the fire of purification, an illus- 
tration well understood at the time, since all the city 
refuse was taken to Gehenna, a place outside Jerusalem, 
where fire was always kept for the purpose of burning 
this waste matter. 

“ ‘ Every branch that beareth fruit is purged ’ — that 
is, if you are a mixture of good and evil beliefs, you 
will have to be cleansed of the evil, before you can do 
much with the good. This cleansing process is quite 
properly named purging. This is what we undergo in 
suffering. 

“ 6 He whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,’ means 
the good in us chastens us, cleanses us for the further 
working of the Good. Punishment, then, there must 
be, just as long as we believe in, and fellowship with 
error. 

“Mrs. McClaren,a staunch Presbyterian, did not seem 
satisfied with this explanation, but Mrs. Pearl told her 
not to let the question trouble her, for if she would do 
the best she could with what she knew, in due time the 
solution would come to her. 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


287 


44 111 the night it came. After she retired, the ques- 
tion kept pressing upon her so that she could not sleep. 

44 About two o’clock it seemed as though a great flood 
of light came, and with it the clearance of the whole 
problem. The texts on that theme became illumined 
as it were, and she could see how impossible it is for the 
spirit to suffer or be punished when it is like God who 
can not 4 behold evil.’ She came over this morning and 
told me about it. I will give you her explanation of 
Matt, xxv : 31, 32. 4 When the Son of man shall come 

in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then 
shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before 
him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate 
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his 
sheep from the goats.’ 

44 The Son of man, consciousness of Truth, shall 
come (be developed) with all glorious thoughts (angels) 
and judge us in all our ways (nations) and shall discrimi- 
nate between the false and the true, the evil and the 
good, then the good motives or good thoughts (sheep) 
shall coalesce or be set on the right hand with Truth, 
and the evil or erroneous beliefs (goats) shall be rele- 
gated to the left, the negative or no-side, and swallowed 
up in their native darkness which is nothingness. 

44 This is the key to the rest of the chapter, and it is 
in the same line with Mrs. Pearl’s explanation, but Mrs. 
McClaren is delighted that it came to her. Now she 
feels as though a mountain had been lifted from her 
heart, so great has been her fear that Christian Science 
would make her disbelieve in eternal punishment, which 
she had learned was an incontrovertible doctrine. Now 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


she realizes that nothing but Truth itself is being 
revealed to her, and it seems that her heart will 
burst for joy. This may seem extravagant, but it is 
just what she said, and after all, you are used to enthu- 
siasm since your wife is an enthusiast. 

“ Is it not wonderful ? I ask myself over and over, 
and echo answers ‘wonderful’! But oh, how igno- 
rant we ever will be, unless we stop and wait for the 
spirit to tell us what is true ! It is ignorance and fool- 
ishness that we have to contend with as much as any- 
thing else, for it is one of the thickest clouds that hide 
knowledge. Until we have learned to turn to the 
hidden fountain of wisdom, we are helplessly bound to 
error’s ways. 

“ Even after we go forth from a class, and feel that 
we have been baptized with the spirit, we are afraid we 
will not be wise enough to answer the world’s question- 
ings of our faith, are afraid we may not know just how 
to proceed with a certain problem, afraid we will be too 
weak to do the things that come to us to be done. 

“ 4 Oh ye of little faith,’ says the rebuking Christ 
within us — 4 why doubt your knowledge, when God is 
your wisdom ? Why doubt your intelligence, when God 
is your intelligence ? Why doubt your strength, when 
God is your strength ? ’ 

44 As we realize there is but one Mind, and that it 
is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, the influ- 
ence of all other thoughts will fade quite aw T ay. It is 
because we recognize the carnal mind whose thoughts 
are frivolous, vain, wretched or miserable, that we are 
unsettled and dissatisfied. There can be no founda- 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


tion, no sense of security, to the one who is continu- 
ally listening to other than the Good. 

“Know all wisdom through the universal Mind, 
and whoever draws his knowledge by inspiration from 
this source shall become as one with you, and we all 
shall be as one with the supreme Mind. 

“There is an indelible but invisible stamp of truth 
marking the utterance of those through whom this 
Mind is expressed, and the invisible something within 
us, sometimes called the 4 Spirit itself,’ sometimes the 
‘light that lighteth every man that cometh into the 
world,’ will recognize and appropriate its own. If we 
keep this judgment faculty unbiased, it will lead us 
to choose the books we read and teach us how to sep- 
arate the wheat from the chaff. It is best to read the 
thoughts of one writer until we understand the root, 
branch and growth of his inspiration. It is not well 
to go from one author to another while we are young 
in the Science, any more than it would be well to take 
a music lesson from a different teacher every week. 

“We must remember that ‘he that doeth the will 
shall know of the doctrine,’ and to start out with the 
Divine will as our guide, as we do when we say, ‘ God 
works through me to will and to do,’ is to grow in 
knowledge of all that pertains to the doctrine of the 
blessed truth that sets us free. 

“ Never talk of failures, or be discouraged by them, 
because many times the discouraging outlook is but 
the prelude to a bounteous harvest. Work with an 
undaunted faith in the mighty Invisible, knowing that 
you serve the only Power, are governed by the one 


290 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 




Principle, Infinite Justice, that ever rewards according 
to service. Doing your best, the Best rewards you. 

“ Under all circumstances we declare our unfailing 
wisdom because we ask of the Good. We can not fool- 
ishly be led away because judgment to do is always 
with us. 

“ This is the fifth stage in the patient’s progress, 
and we treat him for ignorance and foolishness as pos- 
sibly reflected from the five different sources. Deny 
that he can be ignorant of the truth, or foolish in 
believing error. Affirm all- strength and courage and 
steadfastness. He comes to-day with an uncertain ring 
in his voice. He is undecided as to what to do ; is 
weak and nerveless ; can not tell whether he is better 
or worse. The treatment for strength and courage 
will bring him back to Truth, and he will brighten and 
revive under the warm influence of your sunny faith. 

“ One more lesson ! I shall be glad, yet sorry, 
when it is over. Oh, what an experience this has been ! 
Surely, I shall never be such a we^k, impatient 
woman again. Thank God ! How I know what there 
is for me in this beautiful world. 

“ Good bye, 

“ Marion.” 



CHAPTER XXXV. 


“ Build on resolve, and not upon regret, 

The structure of thy future. Do not grope 
Among the shadows of old sins, but let 
Thine own soul’s light shine on the path of hope, 

And dissipate the darkness. Waste no tears 
Upon the blotted record of lost years, 

But turn the leaf, and smile, oh smile to see 
The fair, white pages that remain for thee.” 

— Ella Wheeler Wilcox. 

“ Marlow, October — . 

f SUPPOSE this is the last letter I will write on 
the lessons in Christian Science, but I will be faith- 
ful as ever, even though I tell it all over again when I 
see you. 

‘‘Everybody looked regretful enough when they 
went into the class room to-day, but a hundred fold 
more so when we went out and the good-byes were 
said. It means so much to us all. We have passed 
through twelve lessons which may symbolize twelve 
epochs or stages through which we proceed from ignor- 
ance to understanding, and understanding to complete 
demonstration. 

“We have been together scarcely three weeks, and 
yet so much has been uncovered that we stand face to 
face with our real selves. All that was conventional 
has been laid aside in our intercourse, and the best and 
sweetest and most sacred phases of our lives laid bare, 
so that we have had a clear glimpse of God’s children 
m 


292 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


as they are, not as they usually appear; and indeed it 
gives us better courage and stronger faith to go forth 
into the world again, knowing that the possibilities of 
one are the possibilities of all, for ‘ God is no respecter 
of persons.’ 

“ I know, perhaps better than some of the rest, that 
we shall be walking in the valleys many times when 
our eyes are on the sun-crowned heights, but if we can 
be patient and earnest, our feet shall reach the fertile 
slopes and sunny grass lands of well attained effort. 
My experience of the past shall be only a stronger 
incentive to perse verence in the future, and while it 
seems human to fall, it is divine to rise, and knowing the 
divine privilege of proving divinity, I trust God to 
work through me in my daily effort. So said we all 
when we left the class room to-day, and with a holy 
consecration to our new-born faith, we trust we shall 
ever grow in grace and wisdom as God’s children, 
according to the promise. 

“ Mrs. Pearl spoke of our Science as the science of 
silence, and told us not to be zealous without judgment, 
not to speak when silence would be golden, not to act 
so as to bring reproach upon our cause or ourselves, 
but remember to ‘ avoid even the appearance of evil.’ 
She said many in their first joyous enthusiasm and 
overwhelming conviction would indiscreetly tell people 
4 there is no matter,’ for instance, so eager were they 
to bring everybody into the sweet liberty of the spirit ; 
but the world not being ready to properly consider the 
subject, would of course ridicule and argue hotly 
against such a statement, so that false opinions would 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


spring up and most absurd practices and claims be 
attributed to Christian Science. 

“ Our Science should have a dignified place in the 
world’s opinion, and if we want to help give it that 
place, we should aim to be living representatives of 
the principles, maintain a dignified attitude regarding 
it, and if we can answer any questions pertaining to it, 
let our answer and manners be ennobling and Christ- 
like. 

“We never argue audiblv with unbelievers. Argu- 
ment kills the spirit of any religion, and the person who 
desires to prove his position by argument is not ready 
to be convinced by the spirit. If you are obliged to 
carry on a conversation with an argumentative person, 
silently deny all his statements of error, and with calm 
positivene'ss affirm for him intelligence, wisdom, and 
a desire to know truth. In other words, recognize 
his spiritual self, which is in perfect peace and harmony, 
and the outward disturbance or in harmony, which is 
simply nothingness expressed by him, is annulled. 
Possibly you may seem obliged to submit and listen to 
him. Never mind. Carry on your silent thoughts 
scientifically, and constantly think truth. Thus you 
will plant a seed that shall bring forth beauteous blos- 
soms, excellent fruit. 

“Whenever you hear error talked, deny it. This 
is 4 shutting your ears from hearing of blood, and your 
eyes from seeing evil.’ Any error must be denied in 
order to see the proof of its opposite truth. 

44 If everybody would learn to deny all the slander 
or gossip they hear, we should soon have a new social 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


world. Cruel tongues would cease their wagging, 
timid hearts could breathe again, and fair names bloom 
in every home. 

“ This would be the beginning of a much needed 
reform in the daily press. Poor editors, they are 
obliged to fill orders, like the cooks and waiters serving 
the gentlemen and ladies in the elegant dining-room, 
ladies’ ordinary and ground-floor cafe . Alas ! that the 
discovery should not be made by everybody, so they 
could send in different orders. How gladly would the 
bill of fare be changed ! 

“ But there is nothing more certain to change it, than 
the little leaven of truth dropped in the highways 
and byways of daily life. We must ‘ be diligent in 
season and out of season,’ silently as a rule, but at times 
audibly, perchance forcibly, for some minds seem so 
dull and sluggish as to need a startling thunder-clap to 
awaken them from their slumber of ignorance. Thus 
some patients that come to be healed must be told 
sharply and definitely how to think or what to say, for 
sometimes it is necessary to make them say their own 
word of healing, they are so completely absorbed in 
material beliefs. 

“We grow more in wisdom and spiritual judgment 
as we proceed faithfully along our way of scientific 
thought and living, and thus have an unerring insight 
into what we shall do and say in order to give to each 
the healing gospel. 

“ When we go to church we ought to acknowledge 
and emphasize every true statement made by the clergy- 
man with our silent affirmation, and as emphatically 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


295 


deny every erroneous statement, that we may turn the 
tide of Truth into a broad stream of spiritual uplifting 
for the whole congregation. 

“Should the minister be inclined to speak about the 
awfulness and power of God’s wrath and punishment, 
we can silently assure him that God is a God of love, 
not wrath, and tell him he desires to present only the 
true side of religion. Some people might say this would 
be wrong, to dictate to any one how they should talk, 
but you will notice that it is not dictation of action, but 
rather recognition of motive — the true motive of the 
true self. We have a right to recognize the highest 
and best of every person. Indeed, we are going 
directly opposite God’s commands if we acknowledge 
any but the good creation, which is the spiritual. 

“ What can the spirit, which is perfect, made in 
God’s image and likeness, have to say of God’s anger 
or punishment, when it knows neither, inasmuch as it 
is pure as the Father in heaven? 4 Shall not the judge 
of all the earth do right ? ’ 

44 Not only in the social circle and in the church, but 
in all kinds of work, in all alfairs of business, and 
above all, in the home, must we thus live up to our 
principles which soon prove our sublimest theory by 
our sublimest practice. And, blessed privilege, we do 
not need to understand all, before we can begin to dem- 
onstrate our precious Science. 

44 We need not worry about the burden of to-mor- 
row and thus drop that of to-day, but only carry that 
of to-day with the strength that is given for the day. 

4 Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow? daily 


TIIE RIGHT KNOCK. 


296 

appropriating 1 their portion of sunshine and air and 
dew, they unfold and blossom, exhale their fragrance, 
display their matchless beauty, thus fulfilling their 
appointed mission ; so we may unfold and blossom 
into rare excellence and strength of character. 
Refreshed by the dew of a pure purpose, nourished by 
the sunlight of true thoughts, fed by the all-abounding 
manna— the living word, we soon grow strong enough 
to withstand driving tempest or boisterous gale. 

“ Mentally we are quickened, learning to discern the 
opposing force in ourselves, and meeting it with the 
sharp sword of truth, lay it low at once. But it 
requires practice to wield this spiritual weapon ; it 
takes judgment faculty to discover whence comes self- 
ishness that exhausts and weakens; whence comes 
the material or sensual thought that sickens and 
wearies, or the jealousy that poisons and embitters the 
life-forces. 

“ Faithfully and diligently do we use the word of » 
denial, that sets us and our patients free from these 
subtle enemies ; faithfully and earnestly we affirm all 
truth and purity and goodness as our portion, as our 
strength, our refuge, and our defense. 

“ By the blessed law, when we have thus cleansed 
ourselves, we become at one with the one Life. We in- 
tuitively draw to ourselves the best quality of friendship 
and give forth the best ; we seek the most uplifting and 
spiritual literature, because it gives us a fresh baptism 
of spiritual light, which in turn we give to others, so 
there is a continual receiving and giving, a continual 
blessing and being blessed. 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION . 


297 


“ c Henceforth I call you not servants, but friends,’ 
said the Master before his departure. Now ‘ the ser- 
vant abideth not in the house forever, but the son 
abideth forever.’ We came as servants to be taught. 
While in our ignorance, we were the servants or in- 
feriors; knowing the Truth we became free, and 
henceforth are brothers, sisters, ‘heirs of God and joint 
heirs with Christ.’ We now claim our inheritance, the 
privilege to enter into the kingdom and possess the 
land, our royal birthright. In this kingdom are ‘hid 
all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’ 

“ The patient who comes to us must on this day be 
told of the royal gift of health, and we may say : 

‘ Now are ye clean through the word I have spoken 
unto you.’ He, too, must now become the friend, and 
need no longer be the servant. When he first came to 
us he was like a little child that had lost his way. We 
could not show him the way to the velvet slopes of 
health without taking hold of his hand and leading him 
through the thickets and underbrush in which he was 
lost. So we graciously reached down to him, by talk- 
ing of things with which he was familiar, of animal 
passions, of selfishness, of sin. We gently and kindly 
showed him they were not the true, proved to him that 
his belief in them had led him off the right path, and 
talked to him of brighter, better, truer thoughts that 
led to smiling skies of hope, to balmy airs of peace. 

“ Each day we assured him of his true inheritance, 
and now we confidently assert that he is in full pos- 
session of it. Now he is ready to believe the affirma-* 
tion without the denial, because he is convinced that the 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


affirmations are true, and he comes to us this day with 
clear, clean eyes, and a child like joy in his recovered 
health. We give him the final word, the benediction, 
the binding assurance of his birthright. 

“ Realizing as we must ourselves the wondrous 
truth concerning his real self and all which that 
implies, we impressively and with the most thrilling 
conviction affirm for him that only health, strength, 
joy, courage, peace, satisfaction, can come to him as 
the child of God, the idea of Mind in the power of the 
Thought that thinks him into being. We assure him 
that he can recognize and reflect nothing but Good, 
that he can manifest only the Father whose son he 
knows himself to be. Nothing but Mind can affect 
him. He is like a column of light against which no 
darkness can be thrown ; like a true answer to a prob- 
lem which any number of wrong answers can not 
change. Spiritual like God, he can only recognize and 
appropriate what is God-like. Henceforth he knows 
himself and his Father, knows that whatever he may 
ask (realize) will be granted unto him. Knows that he 
must acknowledge the Truth, and he will abide in the 
kingdom of Good. 

“ We send him forth with all the blessings he can 
desire, because we have realized for him the possession 
of those blessings. Knowing that God is all there is, and 
that our patient lives, is moved and has his being in 
God, we point with unerring finger to the sunny uplands 
of health. He can never more relapse as he will ever 
^alk in the open fields of Truth. We bid him God 
speed on his journey, and thank God that he has come 


PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 


m 


into the consciousness of life everlasting, into health 
and joy without measure. So be it forever more. 

“ The thought of perfection should be held stead- 
fastly, even though the patient do not manifest health 
at once. No matter if the cure is not effected in one, 
two, three weeks, or even as many months, hold fast, 
with unwavering faith (even if you do not give regu- 
lar treatments all the time, and it may be well to skip 
a week or so occasionally), 'knowing that good seed 
must bring forth good fruit; when, where or how, you 
nor no other may know. Time is unthinkable with 
God. We are dealing with Principle, not time. We 
plant the seed, ‘God giveth the increase.’ 

“ Do the best you know, and work out your own 
problems. No one else can do that for you. Jesus 
gave us the key, showed us the way; more than that 
lie could not do. We must live our lives and maintain 
our place by our own efforts. It is ‘he that over- 
cometh’ who receives the supreme gift of eternal life.” 
******* 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 


“May I reach 

That purest heaven,— be to other souls 
The cup of strength in some great agony, 
Enkindle generous ardor, feed pure love. 

Beget the smiles that have no cruelty, 

Be the sweet presence of a good diffused, 

And in diffusion ever more intense — 

So shall I join the choir invisible, 

Whose music is the gladness of the world.” 

- George Eliot. 


wnlRS. Hayden’s was a joyous home-coming. Ho 
sooner was the first rapturous welcome from 
children and husband received, than in came Grace 
and Kate, who, in their eagerness to see her, had scarcely 
been able to let her have the first half hour to her 
family. 

“I think you will have to include us in your family ? 
Mrs. Hayden, for we could not resist the family 
welcome, said Grace, smiling with happiness, as she 
grasped Mrs. Hayden’s hand and drew Kate close 
beside her with the other. 

“You are included my dears. There is but one 
family you know,” was the cordial reply grasping the 
hand of each. 

“ What a change in you, Grace — Kate — why, I 
should hardly know you,” exclaimed Mrs. Hayden, after 
the first excitement was over. 

“ Grace has lost the cloud of perplexity and doubt, 

800 


FOUND AT LAST. 


801 


and Kate the expression of fear,” she added, turning to 
Mr. Hayden with a pleased surprise. 

“ Didn’t I tell you they were both growing beauti- 
ful V 9 was his laughing answer. “ But girls,” he 
added, “ don’t you notice something different in Mrs. 
Hayden ? That is quite wonderful, I think.” 

“Beally, Mrs. Hayden,” exclaimed Grace, with 
wonder, “ you are not nearly so fleshy are you ? I can 
hardly define the change, if that is not it, but I noticed 
something the moment I saw you.” 

“ I have lost something in weight since I left home,” 
she replied, somewhat amused.at their looks of astonish- 
ment. 

“ Your figure is so much better proportioned, too,” 
continued Grace. 

“ And your complexion clearer,” added Kate. 

“ Do tell us what it all means. You certainly look 
better than I ever saw you,” said Grace again. 

“ I am quite thankful she came home before all 
resemblance to my wife was lost,” said Mr. Hayden, 
with a hearty laugh, as he looked at each in turn. 

‘‘Well, be serious now, and I will tell you something 
after I have put the children to bed,” said Mrs. Hay- 
den, cuddling the sleepy Jem in her arms. Fred 
and Mabel stood beside her, frequently interrupting the 
conversation, for they, too, wanted to share the good 
time with mamma. When Mrs. Hayden returned, she 
resumed. 

“ It may seem strange to you as it did to me at 
first, but I see it clearly now, that desiring, searching 
and living for right, brings the body into harmonious 


302 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


expression. If we think truth, we see it expressed in 
harmony, beauty, symmetry, because the external is 
the expression of the internal.” 

“ It was particularly by the denial of matter that I 
lost the superfluous flesh, for since I was too fleshy 
to be of symmetrical form, it was superfluous and 

5) 

“ Did you know the denial of matter would have 
such an effect ? ” interrupted Kate. 

“ No, not till I heard some of the rest of the class 
speaking of it, and then I could hardly believe it, but 
after I understood the theory better, of course it seemed 
more reasonable.” 

“ It is both wonderful and reasonable too, I think. 
Why didn’t you write something about it ? ” asked 
Kate again. 

“ Oh, there are many things that can be told better 
than written.” 

“ And many things that can be thought better than 
told,” added Grace, thoughtfully. 

“ Another lady in the class had about the same 
experience,” said Mrs. Hayden. 

“ But tell us the scientific reason for such an effect ?” 
contiuued Grace. 

“ I will, as well as I can. Have you noticed that it 
is people who are materially minded in their tastes and 
habits that are apt to be fleshy ? ” 

u That depends upon what you would call materially 
minded,” was Grace’s smiling reply. 

“I mean those who like what the world calls the 
good things of life — those who think a great deal of 


FOUND AT LAST. 


303 


material pleasures or environments, and find it com- 
paratively difficult to think or realize spiritual things.” 

“ Oli ! yes, I believe that is true, although I have 

never thought of it,” said Grace, slowly. 

“ Because the denial of matter makes all these 
things secondary, the effect of the new thought is to 
make the body more spiritual.” 

“ Of course ! Why could we not see it before ? ” was 
Kate’s conclusive query. 

“ What effect then, has this denial on lean people ? ” 
asked Mr. Hayden, more seriously, for until now he 
had been inclined to regard this as a little ‘far fetched,’ 
as he would have expressed it. 

“ It does not effect them like the denial of evil, be- 
cause material things are not so important to them, 
while they are apt to be pining and fretting about the 
evils and ills in the world, either as touching themselves 
or humanity in general. Denying evil and evil condi- 
tions would then have the opposite effect, and cause 
them to gain flesh, or grow into the expression of 
physical harmony to correspond with the spiritual.” 

“This is only a higher reading of what we have 
already learned, and it is lovely to know we may go 
on indefinitely, ever reading something new,” said 
Grace. 

“ Now tell me something of what you have all been 
doing?” said Mrs. Hayden, as she looked at Grace. 

“ Oh. Kate has been doing some wonderful treating 
among her pupils, and the patients we took up, are all 
doing nicely.” 

“ Grace is very modest. She doesn’t say a word of 


$04 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


how quickly she cured me of neuralgia, or a horrible 
fit of the blues,” supplemented Kate, looking fondly at 
Grace, who had become dearer than ever since their 
confidential talks. 

“ Mr. Hayden has a good report for himsell and the 
children, too, though I suppose you have heard from 
him,” Grace remarked with a smile. He looked rather 
pleased at her thoughtfulness, but said : “ I would 
rather hear more from Marion. Were there many 
cures in the class ? ” 

“ Several. Mrs. Dexter, the lady I mentioned in my 
letters as having been a long while under the doctor s 
care, went home perfectly well, and Miss Singleton also, 
of whom I wrote. A gentleman who had been in a 
previous class told his experience. His right arm had 
been fractured in the army. Orders were given that 
it should be amputated, but by the intervention of a 
physician with whom he was acquainted, the arm was 
saved, though he had never been able to use it much. 
At times it was very painful. It was so weak he could 
scarcely lift a plate of bread to pass it at the table. 
After a few lessons, that arm was just as well as the 
other. In his joy he told everybody. When the doc- 
tors got hold of it, they laughed at him saying if that 
arm was as large as the other in six months, they 
would believe there was something in Christian Science. 
In six weeks it was as large and strong and sound as 
the other.” 

“That was remarkable,” said Mr. Ilayden, speaking 
for all. “Did you hear anything about treating ani- 
mals ?” he added after a momentary silence. 


FOUND AT LAST. 


305 


“ Oh, yes. We may think of an animal as the per- 
fect expression of God’s thought, as manifesting the 
true Life, the same as human beings.” 

“ After all,” said Kate, “ that is something we ought 
to expect, for are we not promised dominion over all 
things ?” 

“ Certainly, and we are not proving our right, till 
we prove the dominion,” answered Mrs. Hayden. “ It 
is a beautiful thought to me, and several of the class 
told of successful work in this line. One lady had 
treated a frightened horse, and made him so gentle 
any one could drive him. It is mostly fear that is re- 
flected upon animals. They manifest thought, even as 
humanity does.” 

“ I have often noticed horses. They are apt to 
show the same disposition as their masters. This ex- 
plains it,” said Mr. Hayden thoughtfully. “Why 
didn’t you write about all this ? ” 

“ I was afraid it would be too strong meat for you, 
for I could scarcely realize it myself.” 

“ It seems as though we have had so many wonder- 
ful suggestions it will take a life time to understand 
them,” remarked Kate. 

“There is no end to the study of Infinity,” was 
Mrs. Hayden’s reply. 

“ How do you account for the quick cures ? ” in- 
terposed Grace. 

“ It all depends upon how quickly one receives the 
consciousness of Truth. That is the healing process. 
But there are not very many quick cures, comparatively, 
though it is the quick cures we should aim for and 


306 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


expect, for the cure is always in the degree of our real- 
ization of the allness of God. 

“ Another of the older students told of some won- 
derful absent healing. A lady that had been four years 
an invalid, and given up to die by five physicians in the 
place, was healed in three weeks by absent treatment.” 

“ Is that considered as effectual as present treat- 
ment?” 

“ There should be no difference, because we ought 
to realize that with Truth there is no space nor time. 
All is the eternal now and here. Some prefer to give 
present treatment, especially in acute cases ; with others 
absent treatment seems more effectual.” 

“ I am glad to hear that, for I feel that I can do 
better absently,” said Grace, with a look of relief. 

“ But tell me,” questioned Kate, eagerly, “ have all 
persons the same gifts ? ” 

“ In the germ, yes ; but all are not equally developed. 
We enter this study in different stages of unfoldment. 
Some heal quickly, others slowly ; some teach naturally, 
while others find it more difficult, especially at first. 
We develop the gift we desire to use by continually 
claiming it and using it, and bye and bye we shall mar- 
velously prove that we have it. In Love we recognize 
no partiality, no time and no place, and thus we can 
truly say all we desire is truly ours.” 

Grace laid her hand on that of Mrs. Hayden, say- 
ing: 

“ Words can never express our gratitude to you 
both for your extreme kindness in allowing us to read 
your beautiful letters, Mrs. Hayden. They have made 


FOUND AT LAST. 


307 


life seem entirely different to us.” She was deeply in 
earnest, and her quivering lip spoke more than a vol- 
ume of words. 

“ Grace speaks for us both,” added Kate, huskily. 

“ Dear friends,” replied Mrs. Il^yden, much touched 
herself, “ I am glad, yes, more than glad, that you can 
speak so of my letters, of which the greatest merit lies 
in their simple earnestness — .” She ceased abruptly, 
and for a few moments all were silent 

It was a silence too full for words. A door had 
opened — a morning dawned for each of them. The 
mysterious future verged into the mighty present. All 
that was grand and noble and tender filled the measure 
of their aspirations. The world surely might enter 
into their joy, for their joy surely entered into the 
w r orld. 

Mrs. Hayden broke the silence, saying : 

“ ‘Ask and it shall be given you ; seek and ye shall 
find ; knock and it shall be opened unto you.’ Many 
years have I asked and sought for the kingdom of 
heaven, but never till now have I found the right 
knock.” 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 


Love is the high consummation and fulfillment of all Law. It casts 
out fear, discord and imperfection. To minister is Godlike, Christ- 
like. * * * * The law of love reaches down, rules, and over- 
comes adverse laws which are below itself . — Henry Wood. 



TJTSIDE, deepening twilight of a midwinter’s 


day: inside, a bright grate fire, soft curtains, 
beautiful rugs and simple but elegant adornings for 
mantel and wall in this lovely room of a lovely home. 

The only occupant is a young woman — young 
because of the real life of which she so vividly and 
strongly expresses a consciousness, the only life after 
all to be expressed, and which, rightly appropri- 
ated will and must forever be clothed with the fresh- 
ness and vigor of youth. The young woman is Grace 
Hall Carrington. 

She sits before the glowing embers in an expectant 
attitude. She is evidently waiting for some one, and as 
she waits, her mind seems full of pleasant musing. 
The three years that have passed since we saw 
her have ripened her character. We can see that. The 
unrest and longing which pervaded her whole being in 
the old days are gone. A poise and calmness of spirit 
have taken their place. Even her attitude as she sits 
there with the shadows flickering over her, is full of a 
suggestive alertness that expresses an awakened life. 
The forces that had slumbered so long in her being 
are fully alive to their duty and their privilege. Yes, 
Grace Carrington is awake, and happy as a wife and 
woman should be. She is thinking even now of the 


308 


AFTER THREE -TEARS 


309 


richness of effort and opportunity that have been hers 
in these last years. She had been particularly fortu- 
nate in her marriage. Few women have as much to 
be thankful for as she has in this respect, but then, she 
waited to find her true womanhood before she found 
a husband. Perhaps that had something to do with it. 
At any rate she is satisfied that she waited. 

The door bell rings. A moment later she is greeting 
two visitors. Who but the friends we knew in the old 
days — Kate Turner and Mrs. Hayden? 

“I really expected you sooner, Mrs. Hayden ; Kate is 
more uncertain. One never knows when to look for 
her ; but never mind, we are together again, so come 
up to the fire and let us get settled for the evening.” 
And Grace hastened to make her friends comfortable. 

“Oh but it is nice to get home occasionally,” cried 
Kate with a shrug of pleasure as she looked around 
the beautiful room and then at the smiling hostess. 

“I only wish you would come oftener Kathie. It 
seems like the old days to have you here,” replied 
Grace with a loving pat. 

“I suspect Kate has a bit of news for us,” remarked 
Mrs. Hayden, as she sat down near the fire. 

“Indeed,” exclaimed Grace, lifting her eyebrows, and 
tightening her hold of her friend’s hand. “And is the 
momentous question decided, dearie? 

“Yes, and I am to report for duty next week,” was 
the reply. 

“ Good for you, Kathie. I always knew the Science 
would make your music heard, and as Professor Beal’s 
assistant it will be heard a long way and to good 
advantage.” 


310 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ She is reaping the reward of her trust in the Law,” 
said Mrs. Hayden. “ That is the only thing that will 
make the working sure.” 

“Well Kate, you have trusted surely, and to think 
what a proof this is!” 

“How you talk Grace ! One might think you had 
never proven it at all, or that your work didn’t bear 
witness to your own trust,” reproved Mrs. Hayden, 
smiling. 

“ Oh well, girls, my work has been of the silent order 
altogether, or rather it has consisted more of silence 
than work. There’s no telling how it will show up,” 
was the blushing response. 

It had been a standing joke with the three as to how 
Grace managed her “liege lord,” inasmuch as he had 
never been quite won over to the Science, protesting 
that he had no time for such things, persisting in a good- 
natured skepticism, although strangely enough he 
believed a great many things when they were presented 
without the name of “ Science” attached to them. 

“Perhaps that very silence is the secret of its show- 
ing, for I assure you it shows,” resumed the elder 
friend, who still seemed to the other two, the incar- 
nation of all that was noble and wise. 

“Do tell us the way you manage anyway, Grace,” 
begged Kate, with special reasons for inquiring. 

“Why my dear, there’s nothing to tell unless it be 
that a bland silence is a good thing to cultivate. 
There’s no use in making so much of a bugbear of these 
people who seem to oppose, and the best way to lead 
them into the green pastures is to let them nibble 
along the outside until they want to jump the fence 


AFTER THREE TEARS. 


311 


and get over in spite of you. Now Leon is really quite 
hungry to know some things, especially about the 
practical application of thought to business, but he 
knows just where and how to find what he wants, so I 
let him take his own time and his own way.” 

“Which will end, of course, in his wanting to know all, 
providing you have the patience to wait”, laughed 
Kate. 

“ That is a foregone conclusion. I can wait, and I 
will, said Grace. “Besides,” she continued more 
soberly, “I must consider Leon’s rights. He should 
not be forced to a conclusion simply because I hold it. 
A hot-bed growth, produced by whatever means, will 
not bear the hardy, healthy bloom of a natural 
development. He may be slow but he must be true.” 

“ There Grace, you have touched the keynote,” ex- 
claimed Mrs. Hayden warmly. “ It is freedom people 
need, freedom to think and act the highest, for every- 
body has a highest.” 

“Yes, if they can only keep the channels open for the 
inspiration of the highest to come to them or work 
through them,” remarked Kate with a gesture of 
doubt. 

“ What better way is there to give freedom or open 
the channel, than to destroy prejudice, put away 
antagonism and — ” 

“Either in yourself or others,” interposed Grace, 
“for to hold prejudice or to believe in evil is always an 
obstruction.” 

“After all, it all hinges upon the non-resistance of 
evil,” said Kate. 

“Yes, one of the first laws of the beautiful Christ- 


312 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


life, and yet one of the very last to be practiced in my 
experience. I tell you girls, it is the lesson of non- 
resistance we most need.” Mrs. Ha\ T den spoke 
earnestly as she always did, and her words carried 
weight. 

“Go on, Mrs. Hayden. If I’m asleep anywhere, I 
wish you would wake me up,” cried Kate, drawing 
the hassock upon which she sat, close up to the 
elder lady, and putting one hand in her friend’s 
lap, as she waited expectantly for the answer. 

“Well dear, I’m only talking on general principles, 
and what I have discovered in myself — ” 

“ Please tell us what you have found Mrs. Hayden,” 
said Grace. “We need all the light we can get, and 
no matter how it may cut, we won’t shrink will we, 
Kathie? ” with a loving glance at the latter. 

“No, we’ll only know and be glad that the hot blaze 
of truth is melting some more of the dark spots in our 
range of vision,” returned Kate. 

“It is only this,” began Mrs. Hayden, modestly. 
“I have been looking my theory and practice squarely 
in the face lately, and I find them in many things 
quite widely separated. For instance, I have been 
saying for three years that there is no evil, while in 
many cases my actions have carried the very opposite 
idea, and — ” 

“ Why, what do you mean, Mrs. Hayden ? ” cried Kate 
in astonishment, “ who has been more faithful, who 
more loving, and who more successful in proving the 
unreality of sickness and evil ? 

“For one thing then, I have never put away the 
tendency to pronounce judgments on people or 


AFTER THREE TEARS. 


SIS 


things, and I must get beyond that before I prove 
that I mean what I say, when I say there is no reality 
in evil.” 

“ But surely we can’t help seeing the negative side 
of things, ” was Kate’s remonstrance. 

“No, but we can help making it positive, and we 
can avoid fighting against it if we only stick to our 
first statement that there is but one Law. ” 

“ I see what you mean, ” said Grace quietly. “ You 
mean that we must hold so perfectly to the allness of 
Good, that no shadow of ignorance can ever darken 
our vision or our consciousness. ” 

“ Yes, indeed, we all see that that is the ultimate,” 
interposed Kate with some warmth, “ but when and 
how are we to reach it ? ” 

“ In the first place we must know that the ultimate 
is always in the Now, and that by holding to our high- 
est statements with that thought, we can rest in the 
consciousness of the allness of Good as Grace has ex- 
pressed it. With that consciousness there is no judg- 
ment and no resistance. ” 

Kate still looked mystified, “Please make it a little 
plainer,” she begged. 

“ Well, last summer when I was called to treat Mrs. 
Hart’s child, as you know, the father knew little or 
nothing of the Science, and when he insisted on having 
a physician what did I do ? Instead of calmly realiz- 
ing that all the medicine in the world could not hurt 
Truth, and dealing with his ignorance as I would with 
his fear, I felt that it would be a terrible thing to 
countenance such disloyalty, and so withdrew from 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


3U 

treating the case, forgetting that the father’s ignorance 
could not be called disloyalty; forgetting that my faith- 
fulness to principle would be the same regardless of 
any and all ignorance. In fact my action belied my 
words that there is no reality in evil. ” 

“ But — why, what else could you do ? ” asked Kate 
with a puzzled frown. 

“ I could, or at least I ought to be able to main- 
tain my faith and my consciousness of Good just 
the same under those, as other circumstances, and so 
make no resistance.” 

“Oh yes, I see what you mean,” exclaimed Grace 
suddenly. “ You mean that we make something of 
what we declare as nothing?” 

“Exactly, Grace. We resist it by thinking it some- 
thing antagonistic to Truth, whereas we should remem- 
ber our first statement that there is but one Power. 
It is the One that heals in every instance. We know 
that. Why should we stop to combat what other 
people think or do not think ? ” 

“There! Kow I understand you,” ejaculated Kate 
with a brightening face. “ It is the One only which 
acts under all disguises, and— but what would you have 
us do?” suddenly falling into doubt again. As of 
old Kate was ever the questioner. 

“Dear, I am not talking of persons or laying down 
rules of action for anybody, but I am giving you my 
idea of the non-resistance of evil. The question with 
me is, am I ‘about my Father’s business.’ If I accuse 
someone of being unfaithful, or if I criticise any 
methods, means or persons, I still believe in something 


AFTER THREE TEARS. 


315 


besides the Good. Even if I accuse myself in any way 
no matter how slight the fault, I am recognizing that 
which I have declared does not and never did exist. 
You see what I mean. There is no use to multiply 
examples. ” 

“ Oh yes, I see, but can I live up to it ? That is the 
all important question,” was the dreamily earnest reply. 

“As for that I might say the same, but we are not 
to look at that side of the question. A safe and I 
think the very best guide to right living, is to meas- 
ure every act by the standard of love. Would love 
prompt this or that thought, or decision or action? 
It is very easy to decide.” 

A thoughtful silence fell upon the group. The even- 
ing shadows grew deeper outside. The firelight cast 
long crimson shafts of light into the corners, and 
flickered fitfully over the faces and forms before the 
grate. 

“ I have been learning a lesson too. ” It was Kate 
who broke the silence. Her voice was reverential. 
Her eyes were bright with an inner light. “ I have 
been holding strongly to the name — the name of 
Jesus Christ — and realizing what it means, and it 
has helped me more than anything.” 

“What does it mean, Kate? That is something 
which is still a little tainted with the old super- 
stitious worship of a personality,” said Grace. 

“Beware, Grace; that is criticism. Put it away 
until you know,” warned Mrs. Hayden. 

“ Thank you. Tell me every time,” returned Grace 
humbly. 


316 


THE RIGHT KNOCK. 


“ Indeed, this contemplation of the name takes one 
farther from personality or the recognition of mere 
person than anything else,” Kate went on earnestly. 
“Jesus Christ means God or Truth manifest. Hold- 
ing the words with that thought, all sense of person, 
limitation, or time, disappears. Wisdom and power 
come to fill your consciousness, until the Christ life 
seems not only a possibility but a real demonstration.” 
Kate paused. Perhaps she had said too much ! 

But there was no mistaking the vibration of a 
sympathetic thought, even if the pressure of friendly 
hands had not reassured her. 

“It is wonderful how many ways there are of 
attaining the same end,” mused Grace. “How I can 
gain the same state of mind Kate speaks of, by holding 
to the idea of Law. To me everything is embodied 
in that, although of course, any great word under- 
stood as to its real meaning is an all-inclusive term. 
But we cannot always live in an ecstasy.” 

“We should not if we could,” said Mrs. Hayden. 
“We must get beyond that if we ever attain the 
mental poise that will carry us through everything.” 

“ But I am so weak,” murmured Kate. “ How 
shall I ever — ” 

“There, child, you are doing the very thing that 
will keep you from growing strong. What right 
have you to pass judgment on Katherine Turner 
anymore than on anyone else?” said Mrs. Hayden 
almost sternly ; then suddenly softening her tone 
she added, “Dear heart, we must not let self judg- 
ment or self condemnation creep in upon us to leave 


AFTER THREE YEARS. 


sir 


their blight of discouragement or failure. No, the 
only way is to keep our eyes fixed on the mark of 
the high calling, resisting nothing, carrying on our lips, 
success, in our hearts love, in our lives truth. By 
the outer we judge nothing: by the inner we know 
all. Personally, that is, physically we are only a part 
of all external limitation. Individually, that is, spirit- 
ually, we are the potentiality of Infinity itself.” 

“ And that means the possibility of true living, which 
is positively necessary to perfect demonstration,” 
added Grace. 

“ Yes, perfect demonstration in oneself or in others,” 
said Mrs. Hayden emphatically. “ In fact the first, 
last, and only consideration is or should be true 
living, or the ability to be livedP 

“That is what it amounts to, after all,” accorded 
Grace, “for what is true living but the setting aside 
of self, so that the great, infinite Life may be established 
in our action, as a manifest reality ? ” 

Kate rose softly, and went to the piano. Then 
spoke the mighty Voice through Music, and through 
that wondrous harmony a consciousness of the perfect 
Life, with all its power and presence, burst upon 
these three who were no longer three but One. For 
that moment they knew and lived only as the One, 
and in that moment the world received a baptism of 
blessed, healing tenderness. 


THE 

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